


a promise to hold

by blessedreylo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo Deserved Better, Canon Divergence - Star Wars Expanded Universe, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Force Bond, Force Bond (Star Wars), POV Ben Solo, POV Rey (Star Wars), Post-TRoS, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey Palpatine, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, Soft Ben Solo, and he's gonna get it in this fic, ben solo lives baby, but only because I wanted to talk shit about it and make her hate it, but we love them, giving us the Rey Rose Jannah Kaydel friendship WE DESERVED, got me in my reylo feelings, just using this as therapy to cope with TROS, reylo on ahch-to, smut for everyone, they are a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:47:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 37,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22824343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blessedreylo/pseuds/blessedreylo
Summary: “Rey, the war is finally over.”Rey offers a weak smile, she had assumed as much when Palpatine had disintegrated in front of her eyes; she even remembered looking up at the open ceiling of the Sith Eternal to see hundreds of Star Destroyers falling from the sky.“Where’s Ben?” she asks again, looking at him with pleading eyes.“I...I don’t know. He’s gone.”Post-TRoS story where Ben lives, but tries to protect Rey by going into a self-imposed exile. Rey battles with the horrific revelation of her lineage on a diplomatic trip to Naboo. Rey and Ben eventually meet on Ahch-To and are met with dealing with the traumas of their past while exploring the future of their love. Two lonely souls merged together by the fate of the force.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 25
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

[ ](https://imgur.com/QUXjYsy)

Silence. 

Darkness.

Warmth.

Rey’s eyes burst open as she takes in her surroundings. Curved aging walls, stacks of freight boxes, and the sound of purring engines. After quickly scanning her environment she can deduce the following: she’s in a bed, in a room, on a ship. She sits up wearily, already finding the task more than she could manage, before slumping back down on the bed. Where is she? Her mind desperately seeks to find the last thing she remembers….Exegol. Palpatine. Ben.

Ben.

Where is Ben? Why isn’t he here? Her foggy memory starts to clear as her consciousness recollects what it can. Ben had helped her defeat Palpatine in Exegol...kriff, it had almost killed them both. It was their combined power in the force that had brought Palpatine down, and as they both held each other on the ground of the Sith Eternal they had finally shared their first kiss. That was something her memory would never forget, the overwhelming emotion they shared, the softness of his lips, his genuine smile when they pulled apart...But what had happened after that? She must have passed out from exhaustion. 

She groans as she turns to her side, facing the door of the cabin. It was only then that she notices a sleeping figure sitting on a chair beside the door. It was Jannah, the fierce fighter she had briefly met on Kef Bir. Her arms were crossed and her head was slumped forward, but as soon as she heard Rey’s struggling groans she found herself blinking back to consciousness. The two young women shared silent eye contact as Jannah’s eyes widened.

“Oh good, you’re awake.” She says softly. Rey hadn’t actually spoken to her that much when they met, so she was relieved that her voice was pleasant and calm. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit, if I’m honest.” Rey scoffs, trying to prop herself up on one elbow. This earned a quiet chuckle from Jannah, who had moved from her seat by the door to the edge of Rey’s bed. Rey starts trying to piece together her surroundings. She’s in the captain's quarters of the Millenium Falcon, the room she’s spent countless lonely nights in on the Resistance base. Now that she’s mildly more aware of where she is she only has one other question. “Where’s Ben?” she asks quietly, looking up at Jannah.

“I think...I’m gonna go get Finn for you. He can probably explain it better…” She stands up again to reach for the door, but she didn’t have to go far before the young man came through the entrance. Rey is relieved to see her friend's face, and a rush of emotion overtakes them both as he sits on the edge of her bed and hugs her. Their hug lasts a few moments as Finn rubs small circles on her back with his palm.

“I’m so happy you’re okay.” he whispers through her hair.

“I’m so happy you are too.” Rey whispers back. They release their embrace and Rey finally feels she has enough energy to sit up. Finn and Jannah help her readjust her pillows so she can lean on the headboard to look at them both. “Look, Finn...I have a lot of questions…”

“I know you do. There are some things I can answer and others I...can’t. For starters, we won.” His voice is low but enthusiastic. “Rey, the war is finally over.” Rey offers a weak smile, she had assumed as much when Palpatine had disintegrated in front of her eyes; she even remembered looking up at the open ceiling of the Sith Eternal to see hundreds of Star Destroyers falling from the sky.

“Where’s Ben?” she asks again, looking at him with pleading eyes. 

“I...I don’t know. He’s gone.”

Her stomach drops as her hands cup over her mouth. “Gone? Like he’s…”

“Oh, sorry. Not gone as in dead. He’s not dead….not at least since the last time I saw him.” Finn was quick to revise his statement, a flood of relief rushing over Rey’s body. He wasn’t dead...but if he wasn’t dead then why wasn’t he here with her?

“Why….”

“I don’t know why he’s not here. He said that he would tell you in time. He didn’t say anything more than that when he gave you to us.” Finn is looking down at his lap, shaking his head. 

Rey feels the tears brimming in her eyes. He’s alive, but he chose to give her back to the Resistance instead of them being together and she can’t fathom why. They had fought to repress their love for so long and now that it was finally out and the war was over...he leaves her? Rey begins to shake slightly as a few tears escape the corners of her eyes. Jannah is standing next to them on the bed, gently caressing the back of her head in an attempt to soothe her. 

“We still have a few hours until we get back to Ajan Kloss. Right now you need to rest.” Finn whispers, slowly standing from the bed. “Please rest, Rey. We’ll figure this out together.” He and Jannah make their silent exit as they close the door behind them. 

Rey is left alone, only the whirring of the Falcon’s engines break the painful silence. After a few moments of trying to ease her unsteady breath, she tries to close her eyes and feel him through the force; a weak glow starts to appear before her as she tries to reach out to it. It’s distant but present nonetheless. He was alive, but keeping himself at an unreachable distance. The realization only makes it hurt more, as gentle sobs break through her lips. She slowly lowers her body back to the mattress, hoping the exhaustion and her tears will sedate her to sleep. 




The few hours before they landed in Ajan Kloss felt like five minutes of sleep before she could feel the gently nudging of Finn at her bedside.

“Do you think you’ll be able to get up?” he whispers as her eyes flutter open. She nods and he slowly helps her on her feet. Walking seemed to be a lot harder than she remembered, but she knew she could manage. 

She makes her way into the communal area of the Falcon and is immediately greeted by Chewie, his enthusiastic groans being the first loud thing she’s heard since waking up. He envelops her in his big furry arms as she buries her face in his chest.

“I missed you too, buddy.” she smiles up at him. When she’s released from Chewie’s embrace she makes eye contact with General Lando Calrissian, who flashes her a signature Lando smile.

“Glad you’re doing okay, kid.” he beams at her as they share a quick embrace. General Calrissian’s warm smile brings her a sense of comfort, and a small part of her is giddy at the fact that he had actually taken her advice to come back to pilot for the Resistance again. 

The five of them stand together in the room as Falcon makes landfall. Rey can hear the excitement outside the Falcon doors and a rush of anxiety hits her. Yes she is grateful that they had won the war, but a long personal battle lay ahead of her.




Everything that happened after walking down the exit ramp of the Falcon became a blur. Hundreds of people as far as she could see, all with jubilant smiles fiercely embracing each other. She received some pats on the back and words of excitement as she slowly weaved her way through the crowd, but it was nothing she could focus on right now. She was overwhelmed with what she had learned in the few hours after she woke, and was more overwhelmed with all she didn’t yet know. 

Her eyes soon land on a group of familiar faces: Poe, Rose, C3PO, R2D2 and BB-8. She offers them all a smile as she’s individually greeted with a hug or pat on the back. BB-8 beeps and whirs excitedly at Rey’s return, and she’s equally happy to see her little friend again. Although she considers everyone here friends, maybe even family, there was still a sense of unknown. None of them truly know what happened with her, Ben, Palpatine, Snoke or anything before this. She never found the right way to tell them, always keeping her brave face as “the last Jedi”. She may have to come clean on things as the Resistance will soon start to rebuild the galaxy, but for now she let them celebrate their hard-earned victory.


	2. Chapter 2

The celebration didn’t last long before the Resistance had to begin the real work. It wasn’t enough to just take down the First Order, now they had to go to reoccupy and rebuild worlds the First Order had seized, destroy any remaining First Order bases, recondition any remaining Stormtroopers that didn’t already surrender and so much more. As the acting lead general of the Resistance, Poe Dameron gathered all high command of his team for a meeting in the main conference room of the base. From there tasks and assignments would be divided up and plans would start to form on building a New Republic. Rey was absentmindedly sitting at the large conference table littered with paper, datapads, comm links and mugs of caf. With Finn to her left and Rose to her right she tried her best to pay attention to the orders of business but she couldn’t focus. 

She had spent the last few nights restlessly tossing and turning in her room on the Falcon, thinking about Ben and waking up to traumatic nightmares of past events. His force signature was still very distant, but every now and then she thought she felt it edge closer and closer like a shy animal inspecting its surroundings. She tried to reach out to him herself, sitting on the floor of her room legs crossed in deep meditation all to no avail. It was like hitting a brick wall every time she attempted to reach him and every time it made her angrier; to the point where she came out of meditation not realizing that she had lifted herself several feet off the ground. 

“I think if we start with the larger systems, show them how to restore democracy with the New Republic then all of the smaller systems will begin to follow suit.” Poe explained, pointing out to the holographic image of planetary charts that illuminated the middle of the table. “Finn, how are we looking with the Stormtrooper rehabilitation program?”

“So far we have about 30 infantry groups that have surrendered to the Resistance, we will begin reconditioning and rehabilitation on Coruscant next week.” Finn stated matter-of-factly. The group nodded in approval.

“Ok, let’s call it for today. I’d like to see everyone’s formal outlines by tomorrow if possible. You can reach out to Rose if you need help with diplomatic language.” he pointed with a smirk.

The group started to file out but before Rey could leave she could hear Poe call out for her.

“Hey Rey! Can you hang back for a second, just want to talk to you real quick.” He, Finn, Rose and Jannah were all speaking amongst themselves in a standing half circle. Rey pensively walks up to the group.

“What’s going on?” she asks timidly.

“Nothing. We just wanted to ask...if you’ve heard from him yet?” Finn asks. Oh, so that’s what this is about.

“No I haven’t. He’s been unresponsive when I’ve tried to...reach out.” she states flatly. She doesn’t feel like getting into the intricacies of force connections to a bunch of people who would look at her like she had grown a second head. She doesn’t know why they are even bothering to ask, what do they have to gain?

“Well, just let us know if you do.” Poe chimes in.

“Why, so you can go collect whatever bounty you all have on his head?” Rey challenges defensively. Her defensiveness surprises the group, and Rey is even surprised at herself at how quick she jumped to that conclusion. She starts to put the pieces together: to her he’s just Ben Solo, but to the galaxy he’s Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. The leader of the First Order, responsible for Starkiller Base, the Battle of Crait, killing Han Solo...the list goes on.

“No Rey it’s not like that…” Rose chimes in quickly to avoid further escalation. “Look, we all have our own feelings about this but we have no intention to kill him or throw him in jail. He obviously turned back to the light at some point and even helped you defeat Palpatine...and you obviously have history….” she begins to trail off and stare at her feet. Rey raises her eyebrow in confusion.

“So you’re not going to hunt him?”

“Official communication to the galaxy will be that Supreme Leader Kylo Ren perished at the Battle of Exegol.” Poe states, taking a step closer to Rey. “We and the rest of the galaxy just want to move on and start new. And to be fair, how many people even know what he looks like? All First Order high command that may have seen him without the mask have perished, and I sure as hell don’t know and neither does Rose. Only you, Finn, Jannah, Chewie and Lando.”

“And we would never betray you like that.” Jannah interjects, earning a nod in agreement from Finn. Now that he mentions it, Rey realizes that there were not a lot of people in the galaxy who knew what Ben looked like. Let alone know Kylo Ren’s real name was Ben Solo; he had made the use of his birth name punishable by death to the select few who discovered the truth shortly after Leia had been outed as the daughter of Darth Vader. To the rest of the galaxy they would exist as two separate people: Kylo perishing in battle and Ben living in mysterious exile. 

Rey feels the tension in her shoulders relax a little. “Ok, thank you. I will let you know.” They all nod to each other in silent agreement. As she walks out the conference room, the remaining four begin whispering to each other but she doesn’t care to pry further. She’s had enough socializing for today and she just wants to let off some steam. 

The past few days of rest have finally helped her gather her strength again, and she’s already eager to resume her training. She no longer has a master to teach her, and instead will use the force and the Jedi texts as her guide. She spends the next few hours in an open field outside of the main base practicing her saber technique, grunting with every strike as the beads of sweat roll down her forehead. She doesn’t know what she’s training for but she feels like it's the only thing that remains a constant in her life. Although the war was over, she has lived a long life of being prepared to fend for herself; she had no intention of giving up her skills now.




After a long and strenuous session, it was time for Rey to retire to the Falcon for the night. The sun was beginning to set on the jungle moon, the hazy warm glow peaking through the thick trees that surrounded the base. As soon as Rey closes and locks the exit ramp to the Falcon, she makes her way through the narrow corridors towards the communal space. Before she hits the corner she feels an energy presence; was there someone else on the Falcon? With her back to the wall, she grabs her saber from her belt and ignites it’s blue glow. She prays she doesn’t have to engage in battle, but lets out a sigh before rapidly turning the corner. With her saber defensively pointing straight ahead she freezes at what stands before her.

A deafening silence. A tall dark figure standing in the corner of the room dressed in black. A head of dark wavy hair. A pale face covered in cuts. A pair of dark eyes that shine like a moonlit lake. A half smile she had only dreamed about.

“Ben.” Her words barely register as a whisper. She’s frozen, unable to think and just barely remembering to breathe. Was this a dream?

“Rey.” A low whisper escaping the lips she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. Her first instinct is to retract her saber, shutting off the blue glow with a swift click. She stands up straight and slowly begins to walk towards him. 

She quickly realizes that this was the force bond at work and that he wasn’t standing in front of her in the flesh. Rey stops with at least a foot of space between them, cocking her head to the side with uncertainty. She doesn’t know whether to scream for joy, cry, throw something in anger or kiss him until they were both blue in the face. He makes no sudden movements except to close the gap of space between them. His hand slowly reaches up to cup her cheek as Rey almost instantly leans in like it’s in her nature. She doesn’t know how much time they have so she has to say what she wants to say quickly.

“Why did you leave me?” her voice wavers slightly as tears start to well in her eyes. Ben feels his own heart break at her words as his other hand quickly goes to cup her other cheek, placing a chaste kiss to her forehead.

“I could never leave you, beloved. It’s just...complicated.” He sighs quietly and she lets out an unimpressed scoff in response. His hands move from her cheeks to her shoulders, and she can feel his force signature grow anxiously. He’s hiding something.

“My life has been nothing but complicated since I met you, Ben Solo. That is not good enough.” The fierceness in her eyes doesn’t match the weakness in her voice, but she’s determined to get the answers she needs. 

“I don’t feel like I will ever be able to explain it to you correctly. So please let me just show you.” Before she can ask what he means, she feels him lower the mental shields that have been barricading her away. He nods at her when he senses her uncertainty; she hasn’t gone into his mind since she did it on accident on Starkiller Base another lifetime ago. She closes her eyes and is almost instantly transported back to the harsh darkness of Exegol. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to give you all some context on this force memory: its a combination of first person and third person perspective. first person ben pov to show his feelings throughout this memory and third person pov to describe what's actually going on. i don't know why my brain thought that was the only way it made sense for me to write it, but i hope it makes sense to you! any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! enjoy :)

[ ](https://imgur.com/mhl6Ikl)

_Darkness surrounds them both. Ben and Rey are holding each other in the Sith Eternal. Palpatine has just been destroyed due to the power of their dyad, the strength of their dual sabers piercing through him and obliterating what was left of his followers. They now lie in the wreckage, breathing heavily as they stare into each other's eyes._

_I turned back to the light for her, to save her and love her. She kisses me and I’m instantly transported to a happiness I’ve never felt. This girl came into my life so quickly and continues to love me through the pain of my past and who it’s made me. Her lips are soft and giving, pouring out her love with its simple touch that words would never be able to convey. She loves me back. When we pull apart I can see the weakness in her eyes, is she dying? Her force signature is alive, but is holding on by a thread. I try to heal her through the power of the force but her body gives out from exhaustion. What do I do now? Her friends, the Resistance, must be looking for her. I can’t ask her to run away with me, what if she resents me from separating her from her chosen family? I still have a lot of sins to atone for, can she ever truly see besides the monster I was? I must return her back to them._

_Ben calls to the force and sends a message to the traitor, who Ben sensed his force sensitivity from that day on Pasaana. He is her closest friend, he will take care of her. Not long after, he hears and sees the familiar whir of the Falcon descending to them. Seeing the Falcon floods Ben with memories, both happy and sad, before pushing them out of his mind. The exit ramp of the Falcon bursts open and out runs the traitor and a mystery girl. Ben lifts himself to cradle Rey’s sleeping body and walks over to them. Over the girls shoulder, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian follow close behind. The traitor and the girl stop a few feet away from him and he can already sense their apprehension to get closer. He’s used to it at this point so his only concern is to get Rey to safety._

_“She’s weak, but she will be okay. Please take care of her.” he states to them, looking down at Rey’s soft features. He’s relieved that he can feel her rhythmic breathing through her parted lips. The traitor and the girl nod, ushering over to Chewbacca to carry her to the Falcon. Another painful memory washes over, the last time Ben saw Chewbacca was when he was shooting a crossbow at him for….that. The Wookie looks over to him with an expression almost saying ‘You killed my best friend, but you saved her. And for that reason I don’t kill you where you stand.’ They nod cordially at each other as they pass Rey’s body between them, the Wookie making quick work to take her back to the Falcon. The traitor and the girl don’t know what to say, and Ben is actually surprised to hear Uncle Lando --- er, General Calrissian speak up first._

_“I know you probably don’t want to hear this...but you look so much like your father.” He puts a hand on Ben’s shoulder and gives him a half smile._

_Ben returns the reluctant smile with a sigh, he hasn’t seen the General since before he was taken to the Academy but Lando still looked exactly the same to him. He tries not to focus on the memories of Dad and Uncle Lando showing him how to pilot the Falcon at eight years old, or Chewbacca teaching him how to win at holochess. His former life stands right in front of him and all he really needs to care about is the possibility of his future with the girl that has just been carried into the ship._

_“Just please make sure she’s safe.” He’s trying to keep his composure and he looks to the three of them. They nod solemnly._

_“Where will you go?” the traitor asks. He should probably call him by the name they’ve given him: Finn. A clever play on word to his designation number, I’ll give them that._

_“I don’t know. And she can never know. Lord knows she would try to follow and put herself at risk. Please tell her that I will tell her in time. That I’m okay knowing that she’s safe.”_

_Leaving her would be the hardest thing he’s ever had to do, but that’s what made it all the more necessary. He has done a lot of bad things in his life, a lot of bad things. Just because the war was over and he had returned to the light doesn’t mean he was absolved of all his sins. He doesn’t know where he’ll go, but he needs time in exile to reflect and atone for his mistakes. He can’t let Rey see him like this, it would crush her if it doesn’t drive her away from him completely. She has to be safe and as far away from him as possible. Maybe one day they could be reunited and live the happily-ever-after story his mother used to read to him as a child. Oh, how he longed for that kind of life with Rey; to kiss her every chance she gave him, to make her smile, to give her the family she’s always longed for. Right now he couldn’t give her anything; he was nothing but a broken man with a lifetime’s worth of baggage, regret and guilt. She would go on to help restore the Republic and he would live his days in self-inflicted exile._

_Chewbacca emerges from the Falcon, indicating that Rey is safe in the captain's quarters. Finn and Ben share a firm yet uncertain handshake, their eyes speaking what words could not. As the three begin to leave, Ben fights every fiber of his being to not burst through the Falcon, scoop Rey up in his arms and take her far away from here. Somewhere where they can live together in peace and love. He knows this is just a fantasy, and looks up as the Falcon begins its ascent with tears burning the corners of his eyes._

  
  


Rey blinks rapidly as she’s returned to the present day. Her eyes meet Ben’s glossy ones trying to keep a brave face, she now knows what happened on that fateful night. No words pass between them for several moments, so Rey does the whole thing her body thinks is right: she kisses him.

His lips feel as warm and soft as they did on that night, but this time there is a new sense of desperation between them. They don’t know how long this bond will last, and with the revelation of the truth she has to let him know that she’s not going to leave him. She needs to fill this kiss with every bit of love and reassurance that she can; she would not join the people of his past that neglected him, cast him aside, and made him feel unworthy of love. Her hand weaves into his long black hair as her small frame pushes him up against the wall he’s been leaning on. He sighs into the kiss and it deepens further, using every moment he can to explore her mouth in slow despair. His arms wrap around her waist as he brings her in even closer, not an inch of space separates their bodies as if they had just molded into one. The kiss soon becomes wet with the salty tears that have started streaming from both pairs of closed eyes. They both begin to feel the bond reach a fleeting level of instability and they know there’s not much time left.

“Please tell me where you are. I can help you. We can do this together.” She mumbles against his lips, wanting to say her piece while also not breaking from his touch. He eventually does and looks down at her, his hands returning to cup her face.

“One day, my love. I don’t know when, but one day.” He kisses the top of her forehead again. “I promise you I’m okay. I just needed to make sure you were safe. Please promise me you will stay safe.” His voice is low as he can feel her breath panting against his skin.

“I will. Promise me you will come back. That you will let me love you.” She’s fighting back another wave of tears, but it’s now her turn to put on a brave face.

“I promise. I love you, Rey.”

“I love you, Ben.” 

Those were the easiest string of words to ever leave Rey’s lips. Despite their short time in each other’s lives, they shared too much together and have resisted each other for so long to tip-toe across their feelings now. She doesn’t know when she’ll see him again, so it’s only right that she sears this moment in her memory with that statement.

Before she can place one more kiss to his lips, the bond breaks and silence returns. A rush of emotion takes over as her palm rushes to cover her mouth, a broken sob managing to escape her lips. She leans herself to the wall where he just stood and sinks herself to the ground, gathering her knees to her chest. Her brave face breaks like a flooded dam and soon enough it's only her heartbroken whimpers that fill the space of the Falcon. 




She doesn’t know how much time passes as her mind swirls with all these new revelations. Ben brought her back to the Resistance to keep her safe from himself. Safe from the self-actualization he would have to put himself through in order to feel reconciled. How long would that take? It could take a lifetime….or worse. No, he promised he would come back for her and they would finally get to live their lives together. 

She’s not blind to the fact that he did some erroneous things, but she may be the only person in the entire galaxy that knows why. His abuse from Snoke & Palpatine, the neglect of his parents, the distrust of his uncle and master; all of those things culminated into the being of Kylo Ren, but Ben Solo never truly went away. The young boy who loved flying and listening to his mother’s stories was never truly gone but had maybe lost his way for a while before finally coming back. Rey would make sure that if -- _when_ \-- Ben came back to her that she would give him everything his life had been without. But for now, all she would do is wait.

A knock from outside the Falcon snaps Rey out of her thoughts. She had no idea what time it was or who would be coming to her, so she hastily stands up and wipes the tears from her face. The exhale of the exit ramp reveals the small figure of Rose Tico carrying what looks like a plate of food. She offers a weary smile before walking up the ramp.

“I saw that you missed dinner, didn’t want you to go hungry.” Her soft kindness is apparent in her voice. Rey is pleasantly stunned, blinking rapidly as a small smile creeps up on her face.

“Wow, thank you.” she breathes, taking the tray from Rose’s hands. “Would you like to join me?” Rey can’t bear being alone with her thoughts right now, and this is a chance for her to get to know Rose more.

“I would love to.”

Rose and Rey talk endlessly about the mechanics of ships; it’s their shared history with the nitty-gritty workings of gadgets and contraptions that tether them to a common bond. Rey stuffs her face as Rose speaks of how her and her sister Paige had become part of the Resistance. Rey longingly looks at Rose, feeling the emotions of her sister coming up again and tenderly placing a hand on her shoulder as she spoke. 

“But enough about me…” she sniffles with a smile, wiping her nose on her jacket sleeve. “What about you?”

“I don’t really have much of a family. I consider you all my family.” Rey smiles delicately. Despite the recent revelations of her lineage (makes her nauseous just thinking about it) it was true, the Resistance was the closest thing she had to a family. She doesn’t even begin to attempt to unpack that to Rose, it’s something she still doesn’t fully understand herself. Even if they didn’t know a lot about her, she had everyone she loved all on this planet. Well...almost everyone.

“Do you feel that way...about him?” Rose asks nervously. It was only a matter of time before the subject was brought up. Rey could sense Rose’s apprehension about Ben, she probably only saw him as the leader of the group that was responsible for the death of her sister. 

“I do. We have an unspeakable, almost unexplainable connection. He and I have lived very similar lives that just happened to play out in very different ways. It’s...hard to explain…”

“No, I get it completely.” Rose gently places her hand on top of Rey’s. Her warm smile comforts Rey and she’s relieved that Rose is so understanding despite her own personal feelings. A comfortable silence passes between the two before Rose speaks up again. “Listen, I’m gonna be down in the hangars in the afternoon fixing up the ships that got damaged in battle before we gotta start flying them off world. If you’re up for it I’d love your help.”

Rey is beaming, her first truly genuine smile since she arrived back on Ajan Kloss. “I would absolutely love to.” 


	4. Chapter 4

Although she still had to be a part of them, Rey grew exhausted from all these leadership meetings about the rebuilding of the New Republic. Endless mornings running over budget sheets, diplomatic union agreements, military updates made her want to bang her head across that conference table. She was not a politician, but being able to spend the afternoons with Rose and other mechanics down in the hangars helped her put her energy towards something she was passionate about and get out her frustrations. She was absolutely in her element, tinkering with exhaust pipes, healing the main reactors and adjusting the infrastructure of the ships damaged in battle. She and Rose had grown close over the last two weeks of this routine: the first few hours of the day in that stuffy conference room, a break for lunch, and then working in the hangars until the sun went down. It really helped her get her mind off Ben, even if only for the day. 

Nights were still restless as she thought about him and tried to feel him through her meditations. She knew how much mental restrain it was taking him to keep their connection closed, and a part of her hoped that he couldn’t keep it up for long. The force worked in strange ways and if it wanted them to be connected it would take more than even his attunement to stop it.

It’s now been three weeks since the battle of Exegol. Most preliminary peace talks have concluded, and the real work was about to begin. Spearheaded by Poe, the Resistance (not much to resist anymore it would seem) high command would begin venturing to the main galactic systems to finalize peace talks and reestablish the New Republic. Although all of the major systems in the Mid Rim and Core Worlds were elated to rejoin a democracy, it was an essential formality to truly inaugurate a new galaxy. 

“Where am I going?” Rey asks after everyone else receives their assignments. Finn will head to Coruscant, Rose will go to Malastare, Jannah will go to Chandrila and Chewie will head to Takodana. 

“I have a very special assignment for you. Probably the most important if I’m being honest.” Poe states, stacking up the piling papers from the table in front of him. “I’m sending you to Naboo.”

“Naboo? Why?” Rey asks, slightly perplexed. From what she had read, Naboo wasn’t the most powerful ally or even the one with the most resources.

“Naboo has a population of 4.5 billion lifeforms -- yes billion with a B. It’s crucial that the New Republic has the support of Naboo, and what better way than to send the last Jedi as representative.” He smiles, waving his hands in performance. She playfully scoffs at his intent to parade her like a prized animal, but she understands nonetheless. Naboo probably has the most connections to everything surrounding the times of old: their princess and senator Padme Amidala married to and eventually killed by Darth Vader, Chancellor Palpatine becoming the most powerful sith lord in the galaxy. Oh shit…

Palpatine. Although the mention of her lineage makes bile rise in her throat, it’s a chilling reminder that she also has Nabian blood coursing through her veins. She is finally going to visit the land she could’ve called home. It’s a bittersweet realization that she tries not to think about right now.

“Okay I accept.” she states flatly. No one besides Ben knows of her true lineage, her apprehension instilling the very real possibility that this chosen family may fear her upon learning about it. The name evoked such fear in the galaxy and if they were to learn that she shared it, she has no idea what will happen to her. 

“And because you’re going to be the honored guest of the Naboo royal family, I’m sending Threepio with you as a liason.'' He hands her a datapad full of information she will no doubtedlly be studying for the next few days. She doesn’t actually mind learning that C3PO will be joining her, he has a wealth of knowledge and a history with Naboo that will be most useful.

“I will be at your service, Mistress Rey.” Threepio chimes in excitedly. “I’ve been most looking forward to going back to Naboo, they have such a lush and rich history --”

“Threepio, save it for the trip there.” Rey cuts him off swiftly before he can begin one of his famous babbling sessions of useless information. He stops abruptly and nods, slowly wobbling back to the other side of the room. She hears a muffled chuckle from Finn and Rose next to her, and she playfully elbows Finn to get them to stop.

“It’ll be fun!” she cheers sarcastically, earning even more stifled laughter from them. 




She’s able to mull over her thoughts about the trip as she works on a Gyrhil R-9X cannon of one of the Resistance transports. Beads of sweat continue to form across her forehead, trying to put any available piece of energy into restoring its power. She’s not upset with her assignment to Naboo, but definitely apprehensive. She can handle deserts, jungles and even First Order Star Destroyers...but royalty and palaces were all a foriegn concept to her. Even if she’d had a few etiquette lessons from Leia, a literal princess, she still felt like a fish out of water at the idea of rubbing shoulders with royalty.

“If you concentrate any harder, you’ll be the one to start firing lasers.” Rose’s quirky remark snaps her out of her thoughts, Rey releasing a breathy chuckle when she sees her petite friend come from behind her. 

“Then I could blast this damn thing for not working and it’d all be sorted.” she retorts sarcastically. She takes a break from cranking the wrench to straighten her back and wipe her forehead with her forearm. They’ve been at the hangar for hours and Rey can start to see the setting sun peeking through the thick jungle trees. 

“If anyone can figure it out, it’s you!” Rose nudges playfully. “But I think it’s time to call it a day.”

“I wish I could just stay the night working on this. The distraction would be much needed.”

“Are you okay? Are you thinking about...him?” Rose lets her question tread lightly. Rey takes a moment to look at her and think about it. Of course Rey thought about Ben every moment of every day these past few weeks, but she was thankful that her bond with him hadn’t completely left her in the dark from his thoughts; the constant soft hum of his force signature gave her the reassurance that he was okay. She needed distracting from a much more pressing matter.

“I miss him, but I know he’s okay. I’m more worried about the trip to Naboo.” she admits. Rose nods understandingly, putting a sympathetic hand on Rey’s shoulder to comfort her.

“I get it. At least let dinner distract you for a little while longer.” Rey lets out another chuckle, swinging her arm around Rose’s shoulders as the two women head to the mess hall for some much needed food. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes I know what you're thinking: "Michelle why on earth would you let the R*y P*lpatine story line in your story?" and I completely get it, it makes my skin crawl and it's one of things I hated most about TROS. if i'm honest one of the reasons I put it in here was just to shit on it and make Rey be disgusted by it (because let's be real, she definitely is!) and have to do some of her own self-discovery. none of that "my parents were strong" BS here! 
> 
> also how cute is Rose and Rey's friendship??? the SW really deprived us of a badass/fun/supportive girl squad but fear not, I will humbly oblige you all. stay tuned!


	5. Chapter 5

[ ](https://imgur.com/szJRTFO)

She didn’t find sleep on the night before she was set to leave for Naboo. Her bed on the Falcon felt like a rock, and she couldn’t stop the voices from swirling around her head. Tonight she wished the force would do that sneaky thing where it would force bond Rey and Ben as they slept, allowing her to feel his warmth envelop her even when he was lightyears away on some First Order ship. This hasn’t happened in months unfortunately, as the force thought it was more prudent to connect them during day hours when the stakes were a lot higher for them to communicate. But oh how she cherished those nights where she could feel his large arms envelop her, his steady breath against the back of her neck and the warm comfort of their bond giving them well rested sleep. They never spoke about these nights because they were clearly still in denial of their feelings but she knew that he needed them as much as she did. 

Morning soon came and she was loading all the necessary supplies for the trip to Naboo with the help of Rose, Jannah and Finn. C3PO had also been in attendance but I doubt you could count talking your ear off as the assistance she needed. Her personal belongings only consisted of her saber and an extra pair of clothes similar to the ones she always wore: a dark grey tunic, matching leggings and boots. Threepio had insisted that she wouldn’t be wearing these clothes much, as he had arranged for a plethora of Naboo-styled fashion to be awaiting her at the royal house. Rey rolled her eyes at the idea of having to be cinched into uncomfortable fussy dresses, but Threepio insisted that the key to Naboo's heart is through fashion. She hugged her friends goodbye and set off on her four day cycle trip.

The Falcon whirred and sputtered to life as it exited the atmosphere of Ajan Kloss. Rey was flying without a co-pilot, so she punched every button and pulled every lever until she made the jump to lightspeed, the familiar burst of blue light filling the cockpit. It would be several hours until the freighter would make its descent to Naboo, so she brings her knees to her chest and attempts to curl up onto the semi-uncomfortable pilot seat. The blue glow in front of her seems to put her in a trance as her eyes flutter closed for an unknown period of time. Slowly falling into a much needed nap, the familiar whir of the Falcon starts to disappear before all sound is sucked out of her ears. She blinks awake at the sudden change, her head snapping up to take in her surroundings. Rey sighs when she notices a recognizable dark figure occupying the copilot seat next to her.

“Shit, you scared me.” she huffs, ignoring the flutter in the force (and her heart) as he smirks at her.

“Sorry.” he chuckles softly. “I felt that you had gone off world so I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

“So you’re allowed to know where I am but I’m not allowed to know where you are?” her voice is lighthearted, but she’s not completely joking. She envies his ability to control the force in this way, that he can check on her at will but if she were to try she would only meet force walls made of steel.

“Rey…” his face falls in a pang of guilt for a moment, but he still reaches out to envelop her hand in his. Rey will still never understand how his warmth can radiate through the force like this, but she’s definitely not complaining. 

“I’m okay, just on a diplomatic mission. But I won’t tell you where.” It’s now her turn to smirk as his eyes light up in surprise. He takes the moment to bring their hands up to his face, placing a delicate kiss on her knuckle.

“Well I’m glad you’re okay, Senator.” he jokes, flashing the dimples that Rey hasn’t seen since they shared their first kiss on Exegol. Oh how she wishes she could kiss the delicate dips in his cheeks, hoping that they start to make a more regular appearance. He hunches his back forward, placing his elbows on his knees as his face inches closer to hers. “Are you alone?”

“Yes, but --” She doesn’t finish her sentence before he presses his lips to hers. The force sings approvingly as she sighs in relief. She will never grow tired of his kisses. Never.

His hand reaches up to grace her jawline as their lips move in sync. This kiss is sweet and gentle, but Ben wastes no time taking her lower lip between his and giving it a gentle suck. Rey’s breath hitches at this contact, sending a shiver of goosebumps down her spine. She wants this to last forever.

“-- I should probably tell you C3PO is in the back.” she says breathlessly as soon as they both come up for air. Another flash of surprise dances across Ben’s face and now they’re both chuckling at the thought of the droid possibly coming in to interrupt them. “Don’t worry, I told him to power down until we reached landfall.” Rey assures him as soon as she reads his mind. 

“That bucket of bolts is still around, huh?” he shakes his head with a laugh. Rey is suddenly reminded that Threepio had been Leia’s personal droid since the days of the Rebellion, meaning that he’s known Ben his entire life. “Threepio taught me 5 languages, not to mention a lifetime’s worth of royal protocol and etiquette. He and Chewie were my first friends.” His voice is soft to match the soft reminiscent smile on his face as his eyes focused on the floor. Rey puts her hand on his knee, rubbing soft small circles in an attempt to soothe him. The mention of Chewie gently stabs at her heart, reminded of the memory Ben showed her from Exegol. 

Before she can get a chance to respond he vanishes, the breaking of the bond returning the sounds of the Falcon as it pushes through lightspeed. Rey’s heart sinks as she remembers the gentle sadness in his face, grappling with the memories of his childhood. She sends a loving energy through their bond fully expecting it to bounce off his shields, but is surprised and even a little elated to feel a microscopic response quickly making its way back to her. She sighs to herself as she punches a few buttons on the dashboard in an attempt to center herself: one day at a time.




As the Falcon breaks the atmosphere on Naboo a few hours later, Rey is speechless at the sight of the planet below her. Threepio had joined her shortly after they came out of hyperspace, chattering to Rey about the beauty of the capital city of Theed. Threepio served as background noise as she took in the rich green grass plains, shimmering lakes and towering buildings of the city. Her apprehensions seemed to temporarily melt away as she was in awe of her surroundings, but they quickly returned once she set eyes on the palace of the Royal House of Naboo. It seemed to float as it was situated on a tremendous cliff in the city's central district, offering panoramic views of the sweeping countryside below.

Rey nervously began to smooth out her tunic as the Falcon began to make planetfall at the hangar connected to the palace. She knew they were going to be greeted by a small welcoming committee, so even though she wore her boring old clothes she wanted to make a good first impression. As the exit opened, Rey and Threepio descended down the ramp and across the walkway. The palace was a couple yards away, but was already the biggest building Rey had ever seen. Large foliage-covered pillars and stained glass windows wrappedd the building and she had to snap her attention away from them as the small group standing in the archway started to come in clearer view. Six figures total, the four that stood on the outside of the line she could already deduce were guards, the other two unfamiliar. She had been given a dossier of those she would be spending her time in Naboo with, but they had unfortunately come without photos. In between the 2 pairs of guards stood a petite woman and a taller man. The woman was dressed in royal regalia while the man was in a sleek military uniform. 

“Your Majesty, may I introduce to you Mistress Rey of the Resistance.” Threepio states politely once they reach an appropriate distance from the group. Rey had insisted that Threepio not introduce her with *that* surname and just as Rey. He worried that it would appear rude to not give them her surname but the death glare she shot him was enough to shut the droid up.

“Your Majesty.” Rey curtsies cordially. Her eyes come up to meet Queen Nirea Dubreas of Naboo. The young woman looked of similar age and height to Rey, but it was her long black hair and piercing green eyes that differentiated the two women. Queen Nirea wore a crimson shimmersilk dress, beautifully ornate in gold blossom applique. Her headpiece seemed to fit the gold blossoms that peppered her dress, her soft face accentuated with rouge and ruby lips to match. 

“Welcome, Master Jedi. I trust you had a safe journey.” she responds in earnest. Rey internally winced at her being called Master Jedi, it was a title that had aged poorly and also didn’t feel like it matched what she truly was. But she would never dare correct the queen so she solemnly nodded.

“This is the captain of the Naboo Royal Guard, Gavant Auren. He will be your guide throughout your stay here.” she motions to the man standing next to her. He’s a tall young man (probably only a few years older than Rey) with waves of dirty blonde hair, brown eyes and freckles. He was of a more toned build, the lapels of his grey uniform dazzled with multiple medals.

“Master Jedi, welcome to Theed. We greatly appreciate your visit and can’t wait to restore democracy to the galaxy. If there is anything I can be of assistance to during your stay, you need only ask.” Captain Auren states with a firm smile and nod.

“Thank you. This is a beautiful planet. I’m very much honored to be here.”

“We can not wait to introduce you to the court at your inaugural dinner this evening. But for now I will show you to your rooms.” the Captain motions towards the palace, the Queen and Rey beginning to walk together as the captain and the droid follow closely behind. Rey and Queen Nirea speak small talk pleasantries before the two parties separate at the foot of the grand marble staircase. Rey has to work to keep her jaw closed as she marvels at the luxury surrounding her, cascading up the stairs with the captain and the droid.

Captain Auren takes them down the long corridor to a beautiful guest suite consisting of a large bedroom, balcony, fresher and walk-in closet. Rey has never had this much space, let alone one of this extravagance, in her life. After a quick tour, Captain Auren excuses himself to tend to tonight’s dinner preparations. C3PO also decides to leave Rey to rest alone for a while, but not before opening up the walk-in closet to reveal the collection of dresses, pants, coats and tops he has curated for her visit here. Everything she feels is the softest material she’s ever felt, each piece designed so beautifully in colors she’s never seen before.

“Thank you, Threepio. These are actually...really nice.” she smiles up at the golden droid. If Threepio had it in his facial structure to smile, he would have gladly returned her the favor. He soon makes his exit and Rey is left alone to explore her accommodations. 

She whips open the door to the balcony and is greeted with a soft breeze as she admires the city and landscapes below. The city of Theed is unlike any place she’s ever seen before: the dots of people walking through the streets (Poe wasn’t kidding about the billions), the expansive architecture of each building, the lush green scenery that surrounds the outskirts of the city. It’s all positively overwhelming, and she wishes she had someone to share it with. Someone.

She desperately tries not to think about him now, she only kriffing spoke to him a few hours ago. He tugs at the emptiness in her heart, the emptiness that should be filled by him. Oh how she wishes that they were in this together, able to rebuild the galaxy and maybe even the Jedi order together. But he obviously has a lot of personal rebuilding to do before that. Rey casts her thoughts aside as she’s instantly reminded of the large fresher in her room. 

She marvels at the bath and the colored bottles labeled with different scented oils that line its edges. Rey’s never come across the excess commodity of water to even take a bath, neither on Jakku or on the several Resistance bases she’s called home. She relishes in this moment of peace, allowing the warm water to fill the bath as she dumps every oil that sounds appealing to her. Her troubles and sore muscles seem to melt away as she submerges herself in the warm water...maybe royalty isn’t so bad after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapter uploads in one day? you deserve it!
> 
> I really hope you're enjoying the story so far, it's been so much fun to write so far! the trip to Naboo is more of a side journey, but Ben and Rey will definitely have plenty of time together down the road ;)
> 
> please leave me any suggestions/feedback/love in the comments below or on my twitter @blessedreylo! goodbye for now!


	6. Chapter 6

The dinner surprisingly went off without a hitch. Rey had spent the hour before panicking over what to wear, ultimately settling on a long sleeve velvet dress with an obscenely high slit. Before she could protest that option, Threepio informed her that it came with a pair of matching cigarette pants that were meant to show through the slit. The outfit was modest with only minimal embellishments along the shoulders, but the figure hugging silhouette made Rey feel sexier and more powerful than she ever had. Once she had made her way through the palace to the dining hall, she was greeted by several members of the Nabian royal court; Rey was thankful to have Captain Auren by her side not only to introduce her to each person, but also know exactly the right time to politely move her along to the next delegate. 

The dinner itself was a delicious spread of Nabian favorites, Rey had to use every inch of willpower to remember her etiquette lessons and take only what was appropriate. She sat at the end of the table closest to Queen Nirea, engaging in back and forth small talk with her and the other delegate she had to her right. 

“So Master Jedi, you simply must regale us with how you heroically destroyed the Emperor!” Duke Frajon Lanroll piped up excitedly after dessert was brought out. The plump older gentleman was met with vocal agreement from the other members of the dinner and Rey felt all eyes on her. She cleared her throat quickly and turned on her politician voice.

“Of course, Your Highness. As the Resistance were bravely and heroically battling the Sith Fleet, it was actually Kylo Ren and I who were able to defeat the Emperor together.” She states. Gasps escape the lips of the dignitaries, which leads her to believe that Kylo’s true presence had been omitted from official communication of Exegol. She mentally rolls her eyes at Resistance high command, but persists nonetheless. If the galaxy was to think that Kylo Ren had perished in this battle, she might as well be the one to tell them that he died a hero.

“You and the Supreme Leader...working together? How can this be?” Roos Boddee, the Gungan delegate inquired. 

“I understand your shock, Representative Boddee.” she chuckles politely. “In his final moments, Kylo Ren turned back to the Light, single handedly defeating the Knights of Ren and then working with me to triumph over the Emperor's Praetorian guards. Our joint power in the Force helped us defeat the Emperor once and for all.” Her smile is enough to bring inquisitive nods of agreement and understanding to the table of delegates. Even Queen Nirea’s eyebrows raise with impression to Rey’s story.

“Well then it appears that the Supreme Leader died a noble martyr. Here here!” the queen states with a smile, raising her goblet of wine to the table. The rest of the table is quick to reciprocate her actions, all raising their glasses in approval. Rey pensively smiles at the young queen before making eye contact with Captain Auren, a silent nod as his eyes meet hers. 

The rest of the night goes smoothly as the talks eventually steer away from the battle. After a few more hours of stories, laughs and wine, Rey graciously thanks each delegate as they make their departure before turning to the queen once the dining hall has cleared out.

“Thank you for this most auspicious welcome, Your Majesty. If it’s alright with you, I shall retire for the night.” Rey almost surprises herself with how dignified she sounds. Maybe all those lessons with Leia are starting to pay off.

“Of course, Master Jedi. You must be tired from your travels. The captain will come retrieve you in the morning for breakfast before we allow the talks to commence.” Rey politely curtsies before making her way out of the dining hall, Threepio trotting right behind her. Before she leaves, she turns back to see Captain Auren and Queen Nirea speaking together in hushed tones before Captain Auren reaches out to place a chaste kiss to the queen’s hand. The young queen’s eyes shine as the rest of her manages to remain impartial to his gesture, and Rey can’t help but think that she’ll need to find out what that’s all about another time. For now, sleep is the only task she will think about.




Ok, so maybe royalty is more than pretty dresses and bubble baths. After only being in Theed for barely a full day cycle, Rey is already starting to wonder how Poe thought she was going to pull this off. Although the Nabian’s have been incredibly kind and understanding to her, it’s not lost on them that the Jedi girl is not politically savvy. She stood on a small stage surrounded by seated officials, her emerald green caped jumpsuit she donned today was surprisingly comfortable; the cape gave her look a sense of drama that made her feel so powerful, she was starting to realize why Ben was always wearing one as Supreme Leader. 

During the peace talks and negotiations she’s able to read out the declaration of peace written by the New Republic in such an articulate and expressive way, but her fortitude begins to falter as soon as she opens up the floor for questions and discussion. Rey doesn’t know the first thing about galactic policy, and the concerns the Nabian court are flinging at her go right over her head. It’s at this moment that she’s incredibly grateful for Threepio and his incessant need to address every fact and piece of knowledge he knows. He answers every question and addresses every concern brilliantly, even offering solutions that neither Rey or anyone in the New Republic had thought of. Rey was impressed to say the least, and reminds herself to make it a point to be nicer to the droid from now on.

As the end of the business part of her trip comes to an end, Rey can’t help but flop onto the plush couch in her suite. She had survived with an inch of her life, the signature of each member of the Nabian court on the peace treaty finalizing her success. She would now have dinner with the queen again, but this time it would be a much more intimate affair. Just the queen and the captain would be joining her for dinner, probably realizing that Rey had grown overwhelmed with the presence of the stark personalities that filled the court. She changes into a simply draped navy blue dress, ruffles her hair into an acceptable volume and meets up with Threepio before descending down the hall towards the stairs. She takes her time to look at the works of art lining the corridor before one takes her attention: a young woman with soft features, dark brown curly hair, wearing the most beautifully embroidered dress of gold shimmersilk and an intricately laced headpiece to match. She was undeniably beautiful, but Rey also couldn’t deny the hint of sadness behind her eyes. 

“Threepio, who is this?” Rey stops, turning over to the golden droid who would undoubtedly know the answer. 

“That, Mistress Rey, is Queen Padmé Amidala.” Oh. So this was  _ the _ Padmé Amidala. Wife of Anakin Skywalker, slain at the hands of Darth Vader...Ben’s grandmother. Rey is taken aback by this realization, but the feeling that drew her to the portrait might have already known before she asked. She can definitely see the resemblance in Luke, Leia, and even Ben surprisingly. 

“She was the elected ruler of Naboo for some time before joining the Senate. Absolutely adored by the people here before her untimely death.” Threepio continues, a twinge of sadness in his voice. Rey nods solemnly, taking one last look at the dark brown eyes of the young queen before continuing down the corridor. 




Rey couldn’t help but sense something different at her dinner with Queen Nirea and Captain Auren. For starters, she found it slightly odd that the leader of the Royal Guard dined with the sovereign...maybe it was just part of Nabian hospitality and kindness she still hasn’t gotten used to. But it also seems to be the response of the force, Rey can sense a timid but positive energy surrounding them. It’s in the way he steals glances at her or she laughs at his comments, both of them slowly dropping the cordial and regal persona they’re probably meant to keep up in the presence of others. 

“Master Jedi…” the Captain begins, dabbing his napkin to the corner of his mouth after the staff clears their dinner plates.

“With all due respect Captain, I would be most grateful if you could just call me Rey. Both of you, if her Majesty allows.” Rey looks up to both of them, and the amused smile on their faces indicates she hasn’t overstepped her boundary. 

“But of course, Rey.” He smiles with a quick nod. “Her Majesty has asked that I show you around the city tomorrow before the celebration ball in honor of our peace agreement. I think it would be both prudent and enjoyable for you to take in the city that will now be a representative of the New Republic.”

“I would love that, thank you.” She beams up at him. “Will Her Majesty be joining us?” Rey asks amiably to the young queen. 

“I unfortunately have some previous engagements to attend to. But trust that you will be in Gavant’s --- I mean, Captain Auren’s capable hands.” Rey mentally raises her eyebrows to a rare slip up from the usually demure queen. She flashes a look at the young captain to see a pink blush slowly creeping to his cheeks. Oh...something is  _ definitely _ going on. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey is always going to defend her man! Also, who else totally ships the Captain and the Queen? <3 I don't know why I thought to make a fictional side-ship in this Reylo story, but it practically wrote itself! I promise things are going to pick up in the next few chapters, so definitely stay tuned! Kudos and comments are always appreciated, and you can follow me on Twitter @blessedreylo for more updates :)


	7. Chapter 7

After a morning of exploring the city upon the Royal Shuttle with Captain Auren, Rey has to convince every bone in her body to not want to live here permanently. Theed offers everything that Jakku could never: friendly people, gorgeous landscape, temperate weather, and just about everything else. Captain Auren makes great company as well, his more relaxed nature peeks through as he entertains her with stories and Nabian history throughout the day. Threepio is always close behind as Rey and the captain tour the city, occasionally asking a question or divulging into a story of his own. As midday breaks and their tour comes to a conclusion, Rey and the captain are overlooking a vantage point of the city from one of the large cliff sides. She suddenly feels a brave urge to ask him what’s been on her mind since dinner last night.

“Captain Auren, what do you think of Queen Nirea?” She questions after a comfortable pause in conversation. The question seems innocent enough in nature, but the slow blush creeping upon the young captain's face indicates he knows exactly what she means.

“Well…” he clears his throat. “She is an exceptional ruler, altruistic to her people, wise beyond her years…” he looks at her nervously, almost silently asking if that answers her question. She silently shakes her head, urging him to say what he really feels.

“She’s….kind, passionate....beautiful. Her smile puts even the brightest star in the galaxy to shame.”

“Does she know you feel this way?” Rey can’t help but ask. She can almost feel his mental guards start to lower themselves, a new sense of comfort brewing between them as he makes his admission.

“I don’t know. In an unspoken way, maybe. Sometimes I catch her secret glances at me, her arm lingers a second longer when I escort her to her ship, the twinkle in her eye when we steal private moments in empty corridors…” The captain is in a reminiscent state, his voice soft and low as he stares out past the vantage point towards the palace, almost hoping the young queen is looking back at him through one of the stained glass windows. 

“But…?” Rey presses gently, sensing it in his voice.

“I don’t know if she feels the same way. I’m not of royal descent. I also worry of what the court will think of her if she were to choose the captain of her guard as her consort. I can’t let that happen to her...even if by some miracle she wanted it.”

“Captain, I unfortunately know all about the fear of forbidden love. If you feel it in your heart to be true, you must make yourself vulnerable to it. Or you risk yourself living a life of regret. I let myself believe for so long that I wasn’t loved, that I could never be loved. But little did I know that someone was feeling the same way, and that we loved each other although we thought it was impossible. In the end we wasted precious time that could have been spent together.” Rey doesn’t know if she’s articulating everything correctly, but the tear that quickly slips from the captain’s eye indicates she made her point clear. Her own tear escapes and they both find themselves giggling at their emotional state.

“What is he like?” Captain Auren asks softly.

Rey could never articulate in the right words for how she feels about Ben, but she’ll try for the captain. “He is caring, understanding...he loves even when life told him he shouldn’t. He is the bravest person I know.”

“The way you speak of this man, I would very much like to meet him one day.” He beams up at her.

“I would love that.” Her smile reciprocates his as they turn out to take one last look at the city. Rey’s mind wanders to a fantasy of her and Ben living a life of happiness in Naboo, a comfortably modest home, maybe even a few children running around. The notion itself is one to let a content sigh leave Rey’s lips, maybe one day.




“Mistress Rey, I must ask that you hold still. I just have to fasten this zipper.” Threepio states matter of factly. As gorgeous as it was, this was going to be the dress that breaks the proverbial Tauntaun’s back. This fitting was intended to secure the right dress for tonight’s celebration ball, but the kriffing droid knew nothing of how to zip it correctly. The velvet cobalt blue gown shone like the reflection on the lake she had seen on her tour today. The cape started off her shoulders, leaving her collarbones and décollete exposed. Although she had never worn an outfit to expose this area of her before, she was comforted in the fact that the rest of her was relatively covered, the sleek form of the criss-crossed bodice flowing out into a draped skirt that just barely skimmed the floor. It was the prettiest thing she’d ever seen, more or less shocked that it was gracing her body for tonight’s party. Her hair was done in loose curls to frame her face, donned with an arching gold headband that met in the middle of her forehead in a widow’s peak. She couldn’t stop looking at herself, and Threepio couldn’t stop patting himself on the back for his excellent taste. 

“I’ll actually have to agree with you this time, Threepio. This is definitely the one.” she mutters, unable to tear her eyes away from the large three piece mirror across from her bed. 

“I wholeheartedly agree. Now, we still have a few hours before the ball begins, so I do encourage you to stay here and rest. I will go and recharge until then and then escort you to the festivities.” Rey thanks him but doesn’t let him unzip it before he leaves, wanting to stare at it on her body for just a while longer.

Once the door shuts behind him, she lets out an excited giggle and twirls. The fabric flies delicately through the air before regathering and Rey is honestly perplexed at herself. She has never really found herself beautiful in this way; although she appreciates the efficiency and pragmatism of her usual clothes she knows they’ve never made her feel like this dress makes her feel. Maybe she can steal a few of these Nabian pieces back with her to show Ben, unable to imagine his face upon seeing his little scavenger dressed like a princess.

The energy in the force hums to match her pleasant mood, but the all too familiar dissipation of sound sweeps through the air. The sound is sucked out of the room in one swoop and she knows exactly what this means. She hasn’t taken her eyes off the mirror, but she says a silent thank you to the force when she catches the love of her life in the reflection behind her.

“Holy shit…” he mutters quietly. She looks over her shoulder before turning her whole body to face him. Even though she only saw him a few days ago, this is the first time she’s able to see him in full light: the scars and bruises he endured on Exegol have healed completely, his wavy hair just barely grazing the tops of his shoulders, the same all black outfit looking slightly more faded with time. His eyes are wide, scanning every inch of her as she playfully saunters to him. Something deep down in her mind wanted him to appear to her at this exact moment, and based on the shock on his face he had no control over his apparition this time. The force works in mysterious ways, but tonight it’s definitely playing matchmaker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one's a little short but it's about to get a little SPICY in the next chapter (if you catch my drift)!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LET THERE BE SMUT! 
> 
> ok as ya'll can see the rating is officially explicit, although this chapter is pretty tame to start. if it's not your jam you can go ahead and sit this one out, there won't be any major plot points. please let me know what you think in the comments or feel free to tweet me @blessedreylo! ENJOY!

[ ](https://imgur.com/lo7QuJt)

“Hi…” she responds shyly. “What do you think?” she displays her arms out to her sides, asking for the approval she’s almost certain she knows the answer to. He closes the distance between them, his eyes still searching for the words he hasn’t been able to say yet.

“I..uh...you look...stunning. I…” Her nose crinkles, almost giddy with how speechless she’s rendered him. Before she can say anything else his arm hooks around her waist and pulls her in for a kiss. The energy around them swirls in confirmation, and Rey can’t tell if it's the force or her lover's strength that's slightly elevating her off the ground. Her hand reaches up to cup his face as he deepens the kiss, his tongue darting into her mouth to explore with agility. He’s leaning forward as she arches her back, the hook of his arm the only thing keeping her from falling. Screw the party, she thinks to herself, she would happily spend the rest of time like this in his arms. The bridge between their minds is slowly opening, and it’s the mention of the party that has Ben’s mind asking questions.

“Wait, you still haven’t told me where you are. What are you dressed up for?” His question breaks apart their kiss, and Rey lets out a breathy chuckle as she smooths her hand over his cheek, the pad of her thumb swiping across his lower lip.

“Well the royal palace I’m a guest of is hosting a celebratory ball to honor our newly signed peace agreement.” She states, purposely still omitting her location. She likes teasing him, it’s the least she can do to even the playing field of anonymity. 

“Palace? You’re on...Naboo?” He asks, his eyes searching her as if he was solving the puzzle in his head as he spoke. She doesn’t know how he even deduced the correct location from just that one statement, but she credits it to their bond being more open at this moment then it’s been in almost a month. As much as she wishes to take this time to pry it open with a crowbar and find where he is, she doesn’t wish to ruin this moment with him. 

“Yes. In the palace….your grandmother’s palace.” she confirms quietly, the hand on his cheek moving up to softly pet his hair. His eyes are soft to meet hers, the realization that she was in the space of his family swells in his heart. This could be the life he gives her one day, he can already see in her mind how much she loves it here, and if that meant she would always look as glowing as she does now…

“I love you Rey. I miss you so much, my beloved.” He places another kiss to her lips, this time walking her back to her bed as their lips dance together. Her movement cuts off at the foot of the bed and the both fall into the plush mattress, giggles escaping their joined lips. Her tongue grazes the partition of his mouth and he obliges her with a sigh as it was now her turn for exploration. Maybe it's the abundance of confidence she feels in this dress that ignites her next sentence. She wants him, as much of him as he will give her at this very moment. 

“Ben...I want you to touch me.” Her words barely register as a whisper as her hand begins to trail down his chest. He looks down to her, the glow of her skin and freshly plumped lips making her look like a literal angel. He would do anything to please his angel. His hand grazes down the side of her dress, pushing past the fabric of the cape before finding the secret zipper on her side. He pulls it down slowly, trailing kisses down her neck and exposed collarbone with the same agonizing pace. Her breath catches at his simultaneous actions.

“We wouldn’t want to wrinkle this, now would we?” he teases, slowly slipping it off her form with a smirk. She lets out another giggle as he takes the dress in his arms and delicately drapes it over the plush chair by her bed. She’s now in nothing but a pair of silk panties and her gold headpiece, and before she lifts her hand to remove it from her head he stops her. “Keep it on.” he smirks with a whisper. 

The shudder sent down her spine mixed with the cool breeze and sudden self consciousness causing her to wrap her forearm over her chest. He joins her on the bed again, his weight balanced on one arm as he gently removes her arm from covering her. He kisses her again as his large hand glides down to meet the soft skin of her breast, her gasp in the kiss only fueling his action more. Taking the time to massage, squeeze and pinch at the delicate skin as his kisses trail back down to her collarbone, Rey lets out a breathy moan that has Ben smirking into her skin. She’s never felt these sensations before, and the growing tingle in her lower abdomen is a sign that this is just the beginning.

“Ben…” she breathes as he places blazing kisses to the valley between her breasts, occasionally alternating between her hardened nipples. His hand has reached to the top of her panties, it’s agonizingly slow for Rey who inadvertently drives her hips up for a bolt of friction. He stops his kisses to look up at her, his eyes dark to match his wicked smile. She smirks shyly back at him, pulling his face back up to meet her lips. His fingers finally start to move in circles around the silk, the dampness between her legs growing by the second. “More…” she whispers against his lips. The rational part of her doesn’t understand her behavior, but her animalistic needs are on fire at his touch.

He gently moves the panties to the side as his fingers begin to move up and down the apex of her thighs. She can’t control the moans that escape her lips and into his open mouth as he rubs quick circles around her sensitive bud before slowly inserting one digit inside her. She gasps at the entrance, his long thick finger reaching a place she could never reach on her own. It never felt this good the few times she’s done it herself, the thoughts of him guiding her to her peak when they were still lightyears apart from each other. But now in this moment she was finally getting the release she dreamed of from him, his kisses growing sloppy as he adds a second digit to his mission. They break the kiss and stare at each other as her hips meet his fingers in frantic action, his lips slightly parted and eyes intent on studying every inch of her face.

“Come for me, my princess…” he whispers in a delicate growl. Her vision goes white as she reaches her climax, his fingers riding out her high with determination. As she comes down from the exhilaration, he slowly retracts his digits and brings them to his lips to lick them clean. She can feel her cheeks burning up, equally embarrassed and aroused at his actions. It only now dawns on her that she’s practically naked while he is fully clothed, his apparent hardness pushing down on her leg. She attempts to reach for it to offer the same relief he has just awarded her when he gently grabs her wrist.

“We have to get you ready for your party.” he smirks. Before she can open her mouth to protest he places a chaste kiss to her glistening forehead. “We will have an entire lifetime to explore each other, my love.” 

“Promise?”

“I promise.”




It baffles Rey that somehow the dress looks even better in her post-orgasm glow: the radiance in her skin, the plump blush of her lips, the curls in her hair now more tousled. After changing her undergarments Ben gently assists her back into the ensemble, his reflection in the mirror as he stands behind her. He zips the dress back up with an ease that she wishes Threepio had granted her earlier before wrapping his arms around her waist, chin gently resting on her shoulder.

“There...good as new.” His soft husky voice sends shivers down Rey’s spine. The vision looking back in the mirror in front of her almost brings her to tears, this is the life she wants. She wants it so bad but she can’t push it on him when he still has so much to battle through. He can sense her melancholy, their heartbeat moving through the force as one as he places another kiss across her temple.

The door to her bedroom bursts open, taking her out of her reverie as her eyes dart toward its culprit.

“Mistress Rey, the guests have started to arrive. We must get you the ball at once!” Threepio’s posh but apprehensive voice rings out from the doorway. Rey rolls her eyes and looks back to the mirror to see that Ben has vanished again, a deep pang hitting her heart at the revelation. She quickly smooths out her dress, adjusts her headpiece and nods to herself before making her way to join the golden droid.


	9. Chapter 9

If Rey was nervous for the dinner with the Nabian court, she was exceptionally stressed for the celebration ball. Queen Nirea and her court definitely seemed like the type to throw a lavish party for any reason, so having a peace agreement with the New Republic was as good a reason as any to make an occasion of it. The great hall she’s been having dinner in every night is transformed into an opulent procession complete with crystal icicle lights suspended from the ceiling, a small orchestra band filling the room with continuous music, and tables of delectable foods, sweets and beverages lining the walls.

Threepio escorts Rey through the large doors of the hall, already about a hundred people looking to greet her as she enters. Some familiar faces of the Nabian court were quick to meet her with smiles and pleasantries, but Rey couldn’t help but notice all the other unknown faces looking at her and whispering to their counterparts. Captain Auren was quick to swoop in when her golden companion wasn’t enough to control the excited barrage, ushering her towards where the Queen sat on a slightly elevated stage overlooking the crowd.

“It would seem you are the woman of the hour.” Captain Auren jokes as he hooks Rey’s arm over his and begins to navigate her through the crowd. 

“Who are all these people?” Rey asks with a low voice, giving quick eye contact and a smile with as many people she passes past.

“A lot of the court, luckily whom you’ve already met. Also a few politicians, high society members and commonwealth guests. The queen is insistent on everyone having a seat at the table, so to speak.” He smiles softly up at the young queen as he and Rey continue to make their way through the crowd. They are suddenly stopped in their tracks by an older gentleman, dressed in velvet robes, flashing a white smile to match his white hair. Rey is startled at his quick blockade of their path, her clutch on the captain momentarily tightening.

“Master Jedi! It’s an honor to meet you! Welcome to Naboo, we’re grateful to host you here for your first visit!” He beams almost too excitedly.

“Ah hello, Your Highness. Rey, this is Count Lave Strosto. A very eager man indeed.” Captain Auren introduces with a slight trepidation in his voice. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Rey nods her head. She can sense the energy in the captain shift slightly, her trust in the captain making her equally as wary. Why does this stranger elicit such a response from the usually very confident man?

“Ah yes, very nice to meet you. I must commend you on your bravery, the kind of power it takes to beat the Emperor. Your connection to the force must be strong. The potential...astonishing.” Count Strosto’s voice is low, a wicked grin creeping over his face. Rey is starting to notice a small group of men behind him with equally wicked grins looking over her. 

“I’m sorry, Count Strosto. The queen is requesting Mistress Rey’s presence expeditiously.” Captain Auren is suddenly rushing Rey as politely as possible away from the Count, Rey hastily nodding a goodbye and taking one last look at the old man. His features seem unassuming, but the force energy enveloping him covers his surroundings in a dark cloud.

“Captain Auren, should I be concerned about the Count?” she asks pensively as soon as they’re out of earshot.

“As you know, the Emperor was of Nabian descent. So it’s understandable that he has a small group of...sympathizers that still exist even after his demise.” His voice is low but firm. “It shouldn’t be of any threat to you, Queen Nirea insists that they are on board with joining the New Republic. That’s why she invited them here tonight. As they say…keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”

Rey nods solemnly as they finally make it to the foot of the small set of steps leading to the queen’s stage. Captain Auren assists her up the steps before releasing her arm, and returning to his post at the foot of the stage. Rey curtsies as Queen Nirea motions her to sit at her side at a slightly less opulent (but nonetheless fancy) chair next to her throne.

“You look lovely, Rey. You definitely fit in here on Naboo.” The young queen states with warm eyes. She herself is in an emerald green mosaic patterned ball gown, her long sleeves coming up to a point on the back of her hands showcasing a series of rings on almost each finger. The crown on her head was nothing like Rey had ever seen before, deep emerald gems scattered across gold plating to match the dress. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty. This is quite the celebration.” She smiles back at her. 

They spend a short time after that surveying over the crowd and engaging in small talk with the guests who pay the stage a visit. Countless politicians and high society members babbling away cheerfully at them both, Rey barely having time to register what one is saying before they are politely whisked away by the royal guard for the next group in line. Once they are alone again after what seems like eons, Rey can’t help but notice the young queen staring at the captain who is just to her side at the bottom of the stage. 

“Captain Auren sure looks dashing this evening.” Rey says innocently to her, her eyes looking over as the captain is turned away from them.

“Ah yes I agree…” the queen says almost in a dazed voice, her eyes glossed over in his direction. Her royal demeanor must have snapped her out of her reverie before she turns to Rey hastily, her eyes wide with embarrassment. “I didn’t...uh...not like that--” 

“Oh forgive me, Your Majesty. I just happen to see the way you look at him, and he at you. I’m terribly sorry if I overstepped.” 

The queen quickly regains her composure before letting out a breathy chuckle to herself. “You’ve only been here three days. It’s that obvious, isn’t it?”

They share a girlish chuckle together, looking over to the captain again who has undoubtedly noticed that they’re speaking of him but remaining as professional as possible. 

“If I may be so bold, Your Majesty.” Rey’s voice is soft as she leans in closer to the queen, making sure no one else can hear. “Whatever it is holding you back, I can assure you that it’s worth the risk to tell him how you feel.” 

Queen Nirea places her hand gently on top of Rey’s from the arm of her chair as she gives it a quick squeeze. “Thank you Rey.”

They both peek over to Captain Auren again, he’s standing so that he’s facing forward to the crowd but his eyes quickly glance at his side to see the two women looking at him. The three of them let out a simultaneous chuckle and Rey feels like it’s an appropriate time to excuse herself. As she bows to the queen and begins her descent down the stairs, Captain Auren is quick to catch her arm in assistance. They don’t say anything to each other as Rey flashes him a quick and accepting nod, and the smile that blooms on his face full of gratitude. 

She takes this time alone as the rest of the guests dance and chatter together to take a step outside to the courtyard balcony. The moon is shining bright above her as the darkness of night lays across the landscape in a sea of dark blue. She exhales slowly, taking in the scenery and thinking about how much she’ll miss this place when she has to leave tomorrow when a dark energy begins to cloud over her. Her active reflexes spin her around as she’s met with a figure looming in the doorway.

“Ah, there you are child. We were beginning to wonder where you’d gone off too.” the unamusing sound of Count Strosto’s voice reverberating through her. She goes stiff as her lower back presses into the railing of the marble balcony. The hand underneath her cape pats quickly to the hilt of her saber, silently reassuring herself that she can take action if need be. His figure comes closer to her as his face finally illuminates into view under the pale moonlight. 

“Just getting some fresh air.” she responds shortly. Although she feels the dark energy swirling around him she must remain cordial, remembering the captain’s words that the count has apparently agreed to peace. He’s only standing a few feet away from her and takes in his features more clearly. He certainly does share a resemblance to her...grandfather. 

“How did you do it?” he asks, a heinous grin creeping to his face.

“I’m sorry?”

“How did you defeat the Emperor? How does a girl of your young age manage to defeat the most powerful Sith lord the galaxy has ever known?”

She thinks he’s asking rhetorically, but tries to give him the diplomatic answer she’s been feeding to the other nobles of the court in hopes it will sate him. “I channelled the power of the Jedi before me. That and the power of Kylo Ren together were more than enough to eradicate him.”

“I see…” he grimaces slightly before returning his composure. “It would seem that this power you possess matches one of his own. Curious, isn’t it?”

Rey’s clammy palm wraps around the saber concealed in her cape. 

“A power that is being unfortunately wasted I’m afraid.” he tuts to himself, shaking his head. “With the right training, the right guidance...it can be brought back to its righteous form. Back to its...legacy.” Rey’s shallow breathing is apparent as she watches him circle closer to her. Is it possible that this man knows of her lineage? She must fight every dark feeling in her to not smite him with her saber. Because she knows, unfortunately better than anyone else, that that’s exactly what he wants. 

“No.” she whispers harshly, mentally kicking herself for not thinking of something more menacing. Her brain is moving a thousand parsecs a minute and she would do anything for this man to disappear.

“A shame.” he frowns sarcastically. “The Emperor would be most disappointed in the defiance of his own granddaughter.”

Rey doesn’t even think before pulling the saber out of his holster, igniting its blue light and pointing it directly at the count. The tip of the glowing blade is only inches away from Count Strosto’s nose, highlighting the threatening sneer on his face. Her breathing has gone even more rugged as she stares him down the length of her saber. 

“Don’t you ever --” she begins before the glass door to the balcony swings open. Captain Auren’s face is slightly panicked as he witnesses the scene in front of him. Rey is quick to disengage her saber, the silent rage failing to leave her face. 

“Count Strosto. You’ve caused our honored guest a great deal of stress. I think it’s time that you leave.” His voice is stern and unwavering, and Rey thanks a silent prayer to her acquaintance.

“I understand.” He states confidently to the captain. Before turning towards the door he leans over to Rey. “Never forget who you truly are.” The malevolent whisper in his voice sends a shudder down her spine. If she heard the phrase from anyone else it could be seen as an endearing message, but she knows that he intended (and succeeded) to have the opposite effect. 


	10. Chapter 10

Captain Auren stays with Rey on the balcony after Count Strosto leaves and she’s able to regain her breathing. She’s hesitant to give too much away when the captain asks what had transpired, but from the shakiness in her voice the captain knew to leave well enough alone. Once she had regained some semblance of normalcy and can sense that the count and his minions were out of the palace, Rey joins Captain Auren in returning to the festivities. She immediately looks up at Queen Nirea upon her return, the queen quickly glancing over at the captain to see him nod quickly in confirmation that she was alright. 

“She saw him go after you. She wanted me to make sure you were alright.” the captain explained quietly. The queen’s eyes return back to Rey’s and she offers her a solemn nod, inconspicuous enough for no one else to notice. The captain summons Threepio to stay at Rey’s side for the rest of the evening as she makes small talk with various groups throughout the party. Although the droid would probably waddle away at the first sight of trouble, it was more a formality to make sure she wasn’t left alone. 

The rest of the night dissolves in a blur. 




Rey wakes through the rising sun peeking through the opaque curtains of her suite. She’s leaving Naboo today to return to the Resistance base and a part of her is sad to leave. These few days have been the kind of escapism she’s needed to distract herself from what Ben is up to, and she knows that returning to base and having no further tasks will creep those thoughts back up. She takes her time getting out of the plush bed, stepping into the fresher to use the floral soaps and hot water for the last time, and changing into a simple lilac grey tunic and leggings. She does her hair in a simple half up ponytail, leaving the other half of her hair to air dry loosely around her shoulders. Threepio joins her after she’s changed to gather all her belongings into luggage trunks that Rey didn’t even know she had brought.

“What’s all this for, Threepio?” Rey asks quizzically, looking down at a trunk full of clothes that Rey definitely didn’t have in her possession before this trip.

“Her Majesty the Queen has graciously arranged for you to have a brand new wardrobe as a token of her gratitude for your visit. She assured me that it would be clothes you would find most comfortable, as well as some special pieces should you conduct any more official business on behalf of the New Republic.” He states as he gestures to a few trunks in the corner of the room. 

Rey takes a moment to peek in the few that were still opened: tunics, leggings, pants, dresses and jumpsuits made out of the softest fabrics in a wide range of beautiful colors neatly folded into each case. The generosity takes her breath away as she smiles to herself. She’s never had this many possessions to her name before and she makes it a point to remind herself to thank the queen personally before she leaves. 

Rey enjoys a light breakfast brought up to her suite from a servant droid before going down to the ship to leave. A part of her wishes she was able to dine with the queen and the captain one last time, but her travel schedule didn’t leave enough room for such an occasion. As they descend the staircase to the main hall, Rey can see Queen Nirea, Captain Auren and two pairs of royal guards making their way towards them down an adjacent hallway. She can sense the comfortable bliss that surrounds them, a twinkle in the young queen’s eye as her arm is linked with the captain’s.

“Your Majesty.” Rey curtsies quickly when the two parties converge in the main foyer. 

“Rey. Although you’ve only been here a short time, I can honestly say that we’ll gravely miss your presence. It’s been a joy to have you here.” Queen Nirea states with a warm smile. The captain nods in agreement.

“The pleasure has been all mine. You’ve been the most exceptional host, I hope I can come back to visit soon.”

“You are welcome to Theed and to the palace any time.” 

The queen and Rey begin to walk side by side towards the hangar while the rest of the group follow closely behind them. The Millenium Falcon comes into view as Rey can see a handful of royal guards preparing the ship for departure.

  
“I would like to thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty. I will wear them all with pride.” Rey turns to look at the queen while they walk.

“I have no doubt that you will. I also threw in a few pieces that your gentleman caller might...appreciate.” She sneaks a devilish grin as she keeps her eyes forward. A rush of heat creeps up to Rey’s cheeks, realizing that Captain Auren probably told the queen of the conversation they had about Ben. “I do hope that when you come back to Theed that he will accompany you, I would like to tell him in person how lucky he is to have such a headstrong and graceful companion.” 

They finally stop several feet ahead of the Falcon and turn to look at each other. The blushing grin on Rey’s face matches the warm smile on the queen’s. Rey looks back to the captain as he steps forward to meet in between them.

“Safe travels, Rey.” the captain beams at her. Rey nods and puts out her hand for him to shake it. He looks down at her hand with a fond smile, slowly putting both his arms out for a hug instead. Rey gratefully leans in and embraces the young captain, going from cordial acquaintances to familiar friends in such a short span of time. “Thank you.” he whispers through her hair before they part. 

Rey turns to the queen to give her a courteous bow and it looks like Queen Nirea has the same idea as her captain, extending her arms out to bring Rey in for another hug. This is probably breaking a thousand royal protocols but Rey can’t help but feel the warmth of the young queen, their similar heights and builds lining up perfectly in the hug. The queen’s hands envelop both of Rey’s to give them a quick squeeze once they part, a final nod of approval meeting her gaze. 

Threepio has already gone to assist the guards in loading up the trunks into the Falcon as Rey begins to ascend the ramp. She turns to take one last look at the queen and the captain, briefly acknowledging their hands interlaced with one another's. 




Several hours of piloting through lightspeed later, the Falcon breaks the atmosphere of Ajan Kloss. She’s nervous and excited to be reunited with her friends and hear all about their missions. Rose was set to return yesterday so she’ll already be there along with Jannah, but Poe won’t return until later tonight and Finn not until tomorrow afternoon. Threepio has joined her in the cockpit as the pilots the Falcon to landfall, already seeing a handful of Resistance members ready to greet her. 

Once her and Threepio disembark, they’re accosted by about 30 people clapping, cheering, and speaking at her as she makes her way through the crowd. It all reminds her of how it was to return to the base after Exegol, but this time she can actually enjoy it given how much she knows now. She quickly spots the spunky little black haired mechanic in the crowd, immediately rushing up to hug her.

“I’m so glad you’re back! I can’t wait to hear about your trip! Oh my, your clothes look so cute!” Rose begins to ramble excitedly, speaking a thousand parsecs a minute.

“Slow down, Rose!” Rey laughs, gripping Rose’s shoulders. “I’m happy to see you too.”

“Ooh, we should have a sleepover tonight! Me, you, Jannah, maybe Kaydel too if she’s not busy! We can share our stories and eat junk food, it would be so fun!”

Rey had never had a sleepover before, let alone enough girlfriends to even consider it. The lonely deserts of Jakku didn’t lend themselves to friendly female companions, and it wasn’t until very recently did she happen to find girl friends within the Resistance itself. But she couldn’t resist the little cherub-like face smiling up at her.

“Yeah that sounds like fun, let’s do it.” Rey nods approvingly, Rose squealing excitedly as she claps her hands together. “But first I need some food because I’m starving!” Rey laughs as she throws her arm over Rose’s shoulder, the two girls laughing and chatting away as they head to the mess hall for some much needed lunch. 




A sleepover on the Falcon with three female friends was not what Rey expected when she returned to Ajan Kloss. During lunch, Rose promised to put everything together and just asked Rey if it was okay for them to have it on the Falcon so they could all fit in one space. The dorms on the base left much to be desired (which is why Rey kept the Falcon as her main living space) so she wholeheartedly agreed. After lunch, Rose tasked Rey with gathering extra floor mattresses, pillows and blankets from storage to lay across the main communal space of the Falcon. Rose was going to take care of invitations (a.k.a just asking Jannah and Kaydel if they wanted to come), snacks, and alcohol.

Once the sun set and the darkness of night began to fall, Rey, Rose, Jannah and Kaydel were all strewn across the floor of the Falcon amidst cushioned pillows and blankets. They passed around a bottle of sunberry wine and Soulean brandy as they shared stories of what they managed to get up to during their days apart across the galaxy. Rey listens intently to Rose's time on Malastare as she takes a swig of the wine. She’s never been much of a drinker, but the sunberry is sweet and tart on her lips so she enjoys it as she listens to Rose chatter about getting to watch the famous Malastarian pod racing championship. 

“Rey, you have to tell us about Naboo! By your new clothes alone I already know you probably had the best time out of all of us.” Jannah jokes cheerfully, pointing the bottle of brandy at her. Rey blushes as she begins recounting her time at the palace, the treaty talks, the ball, and her time with the queen and captain. She briefly mentions their unrequited love and how she managed to finally get them to admit their feelings for another, earning gasps and swoons from the three girls.

“Wearing pretty dresses, sleeping in a castle, playing royal matchmaker...yeah you definitely won the contest of ‘best assignment’.” Kaydel scoffs with a chuckle. 

“Did you talk to... _ him _ at all while you were there?” Rose asks cautiously. Rose and Jannah knew the minimal amount of information about her relationship with Ben, but Rey was nervous to bring it up around Kaydel. Kaydel was basically third in command after Poe and Finn, so Rey could understand if she had hesitation about her love for a man who was previously the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Kaydel didn’t immediately ask for clarification, just listening quietly as Rey told them of their time together in her suite. 

She also had to take a detour in explaining their force bond for the first time to anyone except Leia, which opened her up to a new level of vulnerability that she’d never shared with a group of friends before. The girls asked very few questions, probably sensing Rey’s trepidation about explaining it to people who would never truly understand. Rey’s face heated up with an embarrassed blush as the girls made whoops and excited gasps while Rey recounted (with as little explicit detail as possible) their brief time before the ball.

“Ok, we get it! You really did win the best assignment!” Rose claps her hands together. “Ugh, Rey you two really need to reunite or something. This force connection thing is super convenient and all but nothing will beat you guys finally being face to face again.” Rose says matter of factly, stuffing a handful of Galma cheese chips into her mouth. Rey’s face falls for a moment, realizing that if it were up to her they would already be together. She loves Ben regardless of his need for this personal journey, but she respects his wishes enough to not push him into something he doesn’t think he’s ready for. Jannah quickly picks up on this and puts a hand to Rey’s shoulder.

“It’s alright, babe. He just needs time to figure things out. I had never seen him without his mask before that day on Exegol, but I could tell that he cares a lot about you. He wouldn’t be putting himself in the position he’s in now if it wasn’t to ultimately have you.” Jannah states sympathetically. Rey nods with a smile, Rose and Kaydel muttering in agreement.

“For what it’s worth, you guys clearly have a deep personal connection that none of us will ever understand. All that matters is that you love each other and will make each other happy.” Kaydel states after taking a swig of wine. “You and Leia always saw the light in him, and you’re making him want to be better.”

Rey’s eyes prick with the thought of Leia. Rose had briefly explained to her Leia’s sacrifice (simultaneous with her healing him on the Death Star) that had ultimately led to Ben’s return to the light. She remembers the pain shattering through the force, all hope and energy in Ben lost in that moment at the thought of his mother drawing her last breath to save him. Has Ben and Leia connected while he’s been in exile? What about Luke or Han? The questions swirl around in her head but she has to quickly dismiss them while in the presence of others who don’t know how deep his trauma goes.

The topic quickly changes once Rose finds a trunk full of the clothes Queen Nirea gifted her, and all the girls squeal and gawk over the beautiful fabrics and pieces. Rey liberally gifts each girl a tunic and legging set in their choice of color because Rey’s never been one to have an excess of anything, so why not share with her closest friends? Each girl excitedly thanks her for their gift as they begin to dogpile on her in a fit of hugs and giggles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES WE ARE GETTING A REY/ROSE/JANNAH/KAYDEL SLEEPOVER BECAUSE WE DESERVED TO SEE A STRONG BADASS GROUP OF WOMEN ALL BE CUTE AND GIGGLY TOGETHER OKAY!
> 
> feel free to follow me on twitter @blessedreylo! hope you enjoyed this chapter, plenty of sweet and spice to come!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is just a little bit smutty ;) viewer discretion is advised

Rey abruptly wakes in the middle of the night. Her and her friends are still sprawled out on the floor of the Falcon in a sea of blankets and cushions, the quiet snores and breathing of the other three girls the only sounds in the room. It’s still pitch black, but the harsh tug at the thread of her and Ben’s bond is what prompts her awake. She quietly stands up and makes her way to the fresher at the very back of the ship, carefully maneuvering herself to not wake (or step on) her friends. She quickly and quietly shuts the door of the fresher behind her, switches on the light to the dimmest setting and takes a sharp breath. She definitely doesn’t look as glowy and ethereal as the last time she looked in the mirror, the bags of her sleepless eyes more prominent to match the dullness in her skin. She splashes some cold water on her face, letting her hands grip the edge of the counter as she closes her eyes and controls her breath. She reaches out to the thread between them, it’s glowing brighter than it has in awhile and she can sense that he’s actively on the other side of it. If she can just concentrate hard enough….

If there were any other sound besides her ragged breathing, it would’ve been sucked out in that all too familiar feeling. She quickly turns to see him with his back against the wall, eyes dead set on hers. She doesn’t sense any immediate danger from him, which is a relief considering that was her initial thought from receiving such a strong feeling from their bond. No words pass between them before he takes a step forward and attaches his lips to hers. Like instinct, Rey wraps her arms around his neck and laces her fingers in his hair while his arms wrap around her low back to pull her even closer. She doesn’t dare break this moment apart to ask the questions she wants to ask, the softness of his lips mixed with the pressure they’re meeting hers with melting all coherent thoughts. He lifts her up by the hips and sits her on the fresher counter, gently spreading her knees apart to nestle his body between them. Their tongues explore each other's mouths with fervor, a delicate moan escaping from the back of Rey’s throat. His lips break from hers as they gulp for air before continuing feverish work down the column of her throat.

“You’ve got some nerve waking me up in the middle of the night for this.” Rey breathlessly whispers as she turns her head to allow him more access to his kisses. He smirks against her skin before sucking a wet kiss right behind her ear.

“I...just missed you.” He breathes against her between kisses. “I needed  _ you _ .” His words send a shiver down her spine as her hips inadvertently roll against his growing hardness. 

“Well I’m here….take me.” Is all she manages to say before cupping his face off her throat and back up to meet his lips. Her hips continue to tilt to meet his through their clothes, giving them the much needed friction. He pushes his groin to meet hers with a force that has him groaning into her mouth.

_ We have to be quiet, unless you want to wake up the sleepover of girls I have only a few feet away.  _ She conveys through their bond. The power for them to silently communicate has never proven more opportune than in this moment.

_ A sleepover, huh? I can’t wait for when it’s my turn to have one with you.  _ He responds with what Rey could only imagine as a devilish grin. 

The thought of this,  _ more than this _ , with Ben in person pushes Rey to grind against him faster. He meets her gyrations by grabbing her by the hips and pushing her against his hardness, the connections hitting just perfectly on her sensitive bundle of nerves. He takes one of her breasts in his hand and lustfully begins squeezing and massaging it through the fabric. She tries to stifle her moans and pants as his friction grows faster and messier. They break their kiss to stare at each other, her brow furrowing in concentration to reach their shared peak.

_ Come for me, baby _ . His voice through the bond vibrates through her body as she rides out her climax, Ben joining her at the peak only seconds later. Their bodies slow down as Rey grabs at his shoulders to steady herself, panting shallow breaths in the space between them. They bask in the silent afterglow, Ben wrapping his arms around her again as her head rests in the crook of his neck. 

“I don’t think I’m strong enough to do this.” Ben whispers into her hair. Whatever he’s been dealing with without her must’ve been difficult for him to so desperately seek her out when he promised to stay away.

“Yes you are. Whatever it is, you can do it. We can do it...together.” she whispers back, gently running her fingers through his hair. He lets out a shaky breath that vibrates against her body as he instinctively pulls her closer.

“I don’t want you to see me as I was. Of the monster I was before I met you.”

“Ben Solo, nothing can ever change how I feel about you.” She comes up from the crook of his neck to meet him eye to eye. “I told you that I’ll help you, and I meant it.” She gently brings her palm to meet his cheek, her thumb grazing over the part of his face where his scar once lived. “Be with me.” she whispers as their foreheads touch. 

“Okay.” he finally says after a few moments of silence. “Be with me.” 

He presses his lips to hers again with a soft passion that melts her heart. 

“Tell me where you are. I’ll come to you.” she whispers.

“No…” He hesitates momentarily. “I will...meet you somewhere. Somewhere remote. I don’t want you to come to this place.” 

Rey doesn’t decide to dwell on why he would be apprehensive about her going wherever he is; it’s clearly safe enough that he hasn’t come into any serious danger. She decides not to press him on it.

“Where then?” she asks softly, trying to be as cautious as possible. She doesn’t want him to regret letting her in, so she will let him call the shots and she will follow.

“I...uh…” he thinks for a few moments before his eyes snap in realization. “The island.”

Rey quietly gasps to herself. “Ahch-To? How do you know about that place?” She’s suddenly reminded that it’s where she really got to know Ben while under Master Skywalker's training, but he had never gone himself...so how could he know about it?

“Oh yeah...my uncle and I have already talked.” he chuckles nervously, much to Rey’s surprise. “He said you liked it there, but we’ll probably find a different island than the one he was on. He mentioned something about a bunch of fish nuns that hated you?” 

Rey’s mouth breaks out into a surprised gape as she playfully slaps his arm, earning a quiet chuckle from him. “Hey I did nothing wrong to them! But just to be fair, I think a different island would be a better idea…”

“Then it’s settled. In two days, meet me on Ahch-To. I will try to find a suitable place for us.” He nuzzles her nose before placing another kiss to her lips. Two days? What is she supposed to do until then? The anticipation alone will kill her. Ben seems to be catching onto her thoughts through their bond as he lets out an amused chuckle against her lips. 

“Okay fine. Two days.” she mutters. She breaks their kiss and looks up at him one last time, his large brown eyes bearing everything to her in the few seconds before their bond is severed. 

She takes a deep breath as she hops off the counter, turning back to the mirror again. She already looks more alive than she did when she stepped in, her cheeks are flushed, lips plump and a slight sheen of sweat crosses her cheeks and forehead. 




Rey hesitates telling her friends of what transpired late last night as they all skip off to breakfast in the mess hall. Ok so maybe she would omit  _ some  _ part of what happened, but she thinks it would be important to tell them she will be leaving base again tomorrow to be reunited with Ben. Would they worry for her, or try to convince her otherwise? Despite their personal feelings about him the girls last night all seemed in agreement that he made Rey happy and therefore were happy for her, but would that change if she told them that she was about to jet off to a remote planet to be alone with him?

Her thoughts are cut as the group reunites with Poe in line for breakfast. They all chatter excitedly away as they grab rations and plop together on a nearby table to eagerly hear how his trip to our newly acquired fleet of Star Destroyers had gone.

“They’re a little bit dark and depressing for my taste, but in time we will give them a much needed makeover.” Poe states as he takes a bite of toast. Gaining the fleet of the fallen First and Final Orders not only ensured the New Republic enormous military strength, but some of the ships would also be repurposed to serve as satellite home bases for those displaced by the First Orders destruction of planets like Hosnian Prime, Kijimi and Hays Minor.

There would be no high command briefing until later today when Finn returned from Coruscant, so Rose and Rey were eager to get back to tinkering with the shuttles and ships still docked in the hangar. Several hours into repairing the shield generator on this transport, Rose and Rey take a quick snack and water break. As they sit on the ground with their backs leaned against the transport, Rey finally feels the urge to confide in her friend.

“So uh...I never properly thanked you for last night. My first sleepover was a lot of fun.” she admits shyly.

“I’m so glad! I know you’re used to being off on your own a lot and haven’t really had time to make new friends, but we love you and you deserve to have a strong female support system.” Rose beams at her, taking a bite of moss chips. Why did it take this long for this spunky little mechanic to make her way into Rey’s life?

“Thank you.” Rey whispers, her hand coming gently to rest on top of Rose’s. “There’s also something else I want to talk to you about. I’m not really good at sharing my feelings so bare with me…” they both chuckle at her admission. “But I...uh, talked to Ben last night. He said he needed me.”

Rose’s eyes go wide for a moment before recollecting herself. “Is he okay? Is he in danger?”

“No, I don’t think so. He just said he  _ needed  _ me.” A look of understanding washes over Rose’s face. Rey thinks this is a perfect opportunity for Rose to make a light hearted innuendo, but her friend seems to be taking this a bit more seriously.

“So what will you do?”

“He asked me to meet him somewhere tomorrow. Not wherever he’s been these past few weeks but somewhere familiar and safe and...remote.”

“Are you?”

“Yes but...I’m just worried about what people are going to say. What my friends are going to say. I know you’re all not members of the Ben Solo Fan Club…” this earns a snort of laughter from Rose, and in turn a chuckle from Rey. “I love him but I don’t want to have to pick between you all and him.”

“Rey, we would  _ never  _ make you do that. It’s because you love him so much that we are willing to be open minded. If you believe he has turned and is atoning for what he’s done, we will support you. If going to him will make you happy,  _ we will support you _ .”

Rey doesn’t offer a verbal response right away, instead shifts her body to embrace Rose in a strong hug. Although they’re sitting on the ground and Rose is a lot smaller than her, Rey can feel her friend squeeze her tight with the assurance she so desperately needs. 


	12. Chapter 12

With all members of high command officially back on base, it’s time for a debrief on each member's mission. One by one each team member that was sent on an off-world mission recounts their time there, the success of their peace treaty ratification and any other important information necessary to the New Republic. It’s finally Rey’s turn so she stands at the end of the long conference table and confidently states that Queen Nirea and her court enthusiastically agreed to the accords and pledged their allegiance to the New Republic. She also goes into detail about the celebration ball that was thrown in the New Republic’s honor. She obviously omits frivolous details like playing matchmaker, Threepio taking over the negotiations, and…what happened in her suite the night of the ball. 

“Wow, that’s amazing Rey! I knew you would be able to carry out this mission!” Poe exclaims confidently. “Did you run into any trouble or contention while you were there?”

Rey freezes momentarily. Does she bring up Count Strosto and his band of Palpatine sympathizers? Not without possibly compromising her own admission of his lineage. To be fair, they technically had  _ agreed  _ to peace talks, so were they really in contention?

“No.” she states, shaking her head swiftly. Poe nods and motions her to go back to her seat. She lets out a quick but shaky sigh of relief as she returns back to her seat between Finn and Rose. 

Shortly after the meeting concludes and people begin to file out of the conference room. Poe, Finn, and Rose are engaged in a conversation on one side of the room while Jannah and Kaydel look over and talk about holos that people brought back from their missions. Rey quietly approaches the group of Poe, Finn and Rose.

“Hey, can I talk to you guys about something?” she asks. Rose already has a look of understanding and gives her a non-verbal look of confidence. Poe and Finn nod. “I uh, have to take the Falcon off world tomorrow. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone for.”

“What? Rey you just got back! Although I appreciate your enthusiasm for the cause…” Poe starts before being cut off by Finn.

“Why? What’s going on?” Finn seems slightly on edge, almost as if he already knows what she’s going to say.

“I, uh...I’m going to go see Ben. I’ve...talked to him.”

The two men look slightly dumbfounded at the realization. Rose is standing between them, looking back and forth trying to discern their reaction.

“Rey…” Finn begins, his voice growing quieter. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my whole life.”

“Where?” Poe pipes in.

“With all due respect, I’d rather not say right now. But I promise it’s somewhere safe.” This doesn’t appease them right away. “Look I’m not asking for permission, but you asked me to tell you once I spoke with him. I’m trying to be better about not just leaving on a moment's notice without telling you all.” 

This earns a smirk from her friends, who have time and time again watched her drop everything and leave without as much as a goodbye. It’s only until recently did they start to realize that almost every time was to go see Ben.

“And I’m trying to be better about being more accepting of...this.” Finn states. 

“Yeah me too. We know you can handle yourself. Kriff, you’ve pretty much beaten the guy single handedly more times than we can count…” Poe chuckles to himself, earning a laugh from the rest of the group. Rose remains silent knowing she can step in to defend Rey if needed, but it doesn’t look like she’ll have to. 

“Okay, yeah. Go get your man...or whatever.” Finn laughs nervously, earning even more laughter from the rest of the group. Rose beams up at Rey, silently proving her earlier point that her friends would never make her choose between them and Ben. Rey nods and brings them all in for a group hug.

“Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Poe exclaims. Rey shrieks with giddy embarrassment as she playfully punches him in the gut. 




Rey, Rose, Jannah and Kaydel spend the next few hours before dinner helping Rey prepare for her journey. According to the star chart, it will only take a few hours for Rey to get to Ahch-To.. The preparation lies in food, supplies, and clothes because Rey has no idea how long she’ll be gone for. She doesn’t expect her and Ben to live there permanently, but she should be prepared for at least a few weeks. 

Kaydel is tasked with getting rations and water, Jannah on supplies like blankets and pillows, and Rose is insistent on helping Rey sort through her clothes. 

“I know this is just an excuse for you to look at all my new clothes.” Rey jokes as Rose shuffles through one of the large trunks. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she protests sarcastically. “I just want to make sure my friend--” her sentence is cut off by her own shriek. The rest of the group panickedly turns to look at her. Rose silently holds up a pair of red lace panties in one hand and its matching bralette in the other, a delighted smirk across her face. Kaydel and Jannah join her shrieks of excitement as Rey is completely slack-jaw at the sight of them. She vaguely remembers Queen Nirea mentioning pieces for her ‘gentleman caller’, but this was  _ not _ what she had in mind.

“Oh kriff…” Rey slaps her hand on her forehead, overcome with nervous giggles.

“Damn this Queen Nirea knows what she’s doing! We gotta go visit Theed one of these days!” Kaydel exclaims before digging through the trunk to find even more pieces of lingerie of varying fabrics, sizes and...complexities. 

“Why does this one have so many straps?”

“Oh Rey this is going to look so HOT on you!”

“Not that I have a boyfriend or anything, but when I do I’m taking this one!”

The girls continue to rummage through the pieces before Rey ultimately decides on the few that were simple enough to bring to a remote island that wouldn’t have her feeling like a complete fool. She’s never thought about having to be sexy, especially for Ben who before the ball in Naboo had only ever seen her in tattered tunics and arm wraps. She can’t imagine if these pieces will help her cause or give her the sex appeal of a Hutt.

Once preparations and dinner have all been sorted, Rey is alone again on the Falcon. She takes a shower, changes into comfortable sleeping clothes and tries to go to bed early. She already has an awful sleeping schedule, and the anxiety of seeing Ben again has her tossing and turning. As she lays flat on her back, she takes a deep breath and tries a vague attempt at meditation hoping it will sedate her to sleep. She feels a soft glow surrounding her bond with Ben but doesn’t attempt to reach out to it. Even just knowing it’s there gives her mind the peace it needs to delicately lull her to sleep. 




BB-8 beeps incessantly at Rey as she begins hauling supplies up and down the Falcon’s ramp.

“I know buddy, I feel like I never see you anymore either. But I promise I won’t be gone forever.”

More defiant beeps.

“Hey, watch your language! He’s not any of those things.” She stops to kneel over to her small spherical friend. They don’t have any defining facial features, but their visual receptor relays a feeling of worry very similar to Finn’s or Poe’s. BB-8’s beeps grow sadder.

“Listen to me, I promise I will be back. You just have to understand that I need to do this. You want me to be happy right?” 

Matter-of-fact beeps.

“Okay, well  _ he  _ makes me happy. So I’m going to go see him. And if all goes well, maybe I’ll bring him back here and you can get to know him for yourself.” She adjusts their antennae fondly.

Understanding and slightly more enthusiastic beeps. 

“Thank you.” she pats them on the head once more before returning back to her work. She’s got word from Rose that the fuel cells are ready to go and that the compressor is at full capacity for her long lightspeed travel. Her friends have come to send her off, and there’s a mixture of melancholy, joy and trepidation in their combined emotions. 

One by one she says her goodbyes, gives each a hug and thanks them for their help. They each share a word of encouragement and promises of support. Rose is the last in line for her goodbye and Rey can’t help but feel a pang in her heart at the little cherub-faced friend she’s come to love.

“Hey, everything’s going to be okay.” Rose whispers with a smile as they hug. “We’re only a comm away.”

Rey gives her a loving squeeze, silently thanking her for being a true friend when she’s truly needed her most. Only a few weeks ago she barely knew this tiny girl, but her sincere joy and wit has opened Rey up to all sorts of emotions that she never had before. 

“Thank you...for everything.” Rey whispers.

“May the force be with you.” Rose says gently as they pull away, her hands still gripping Rey’s shoulders.

She takes one last look at her friends as she ascends up the Falcon’s ramp and shuts the door behind her. As she powers up the engine, she can see the group enthusiastically waving goodbye, even Poe jokingly mock-crying for the rest of the group's amusement. She chuckles to herself as the Falcon climbs higher and higher until they are just blips on the surface of the jungle planet. Rey focuses on punching every button and pulling every lever as she breaks the atmosphere and sets herself for lightspeed. She sighs to herself as the group, her chosen  family, completely disappears from view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might upload another chapter today if I can finish editing it so please enjoy! we're *finally* going to have Rey and Ben reunited!
> 
> comments and kudos are very appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13

Kriff, she wishes she had gotten more sleep. If this were any other mission she would be napping in her bed while travelling through lightspeed, but since she’s piloting the Falcon alone with no one else on board she has a panicked need to stay alert in the cockpit. She daydreams of Ben as she stares into the billowing blue light. How long has it been since they’ve been together? A month? Maybe more? And what a lifetime ago that all feels. She has no idea if anything has changed between them...well of course it has, she hasn't really known ‘Ben Solo’ as he is now. He was always Ben Solo hiding behind the mask of Kylo Ren, and although she managed to help tear it down and be attuned to his innermost feelings, she didn’t truly know that much about him. What were his pet peeves? Is he a morning person? Is black really his favorite color?

She tries to shake the nerves as she quickly gears the Falcon out of hyperspace. It’s been several hours since her departure, and she can finally make out the greyish blue planet of Ahch-To. Memories flood back to when she journeyed to this same planet to find Luke Skywalker, thinking that he would have all the answers to her Jedi path. Who knew that it would actually be Ben Solo to be the voice that showed her everything she needed to know? The feeling of their hands touching through the force seared in her memory, the bolt of electricity sent through them both solidifying what they tried to deny for so long. 

She can feel the presence of their bond grow stronger and brighter in her mind the closer she gets to the planet. It’s almost as if he’s guiding her where to go, which island he decided a suitable home for them. 

_ Home. _

Is this what it felt like to truly come home? She doesn’t necessarily consider Ahch-To her home, but the feeling of coming back to him….that feeling she’s never felt before.




She must have been right about him using their force bond to guide her to him, she can so clearly feel him giving her directions as the Falcon glides above the grey waters. It seems all too familiar yet completely new. She notices the outline of an island in the near distance, the edges of it’s mountains not as steep as the island she found Luke on. The landscape is lush with different shades of green with the occasional expanse of grey rocks, the inclined terrain coming to several tiered plateaus. Her eyes scan the island for Ben as she gets closer but she can already feel him. His energy is soft and a little...excited? She’s definitely excited but she’s trying to keep her nerves at bay as she steadily lands the Falcon on a flat plain of rock off the edge of the island. 

After flipping the engines off and powering down, she rushes to the fresher mirror to nervously smooth herself out. She’s donning a similar neutral colored tunic and legging set to what she wore when she first came to Ahch-To, her hair in a messy half top knot, the lower crown of her hair left to its natural curls. She takes one last look, breathing a sigh of anticipation as she makes her way to the exit ramp.

It’s not as cold as she thought, the cool weather is refreshing to match the simultaneously bright and cloudy sky. A tiny part of her is disappointed that Ben isn’t here to greet her, but that part is quickly silenced as she sees a tall figure descending the rocky stairs etched into the hillside. Her breath catches in her throat seeing him in the flesh for the first time. 

His long wavy hair blows delicately in the breeze, his brows furrowed in concentration going down the steps in long strides. He still dons all black, but he’s replaced the tattered undershirt she’d last seen him in for a similar long sleeved sweater. She admires his soft features from afar; his scars have completely healed, his plump lips pursed, the way his large hands move nervously at his sides. He finally looks up at her as he reaches the last step and she’s almost certain there’s no air left in her lungs. A yearning look in his eyes, a meager smile on his lips, it’s everything she’s dreamed about since he left.

“Hi…” he speaks softly, almost like he’s approaching a small animal.

“Hi Ben.” she responds with equal softness, a shy smile on her lips. They’re only a foot apart, but he makes quick work to diminish that to mere inches.

“I’m...just making sure you’re real. That you’re finally here, not in my dreams.” his eyes scan her face as he slowly places his hands on her upper arms, gently squeezing as if to test she’s actually there.

“I’m here. We’re here...together.” she whispers, cupping his face in her hands delicately and placing a kiss on his lips. She intended it to be a modest kiss, to prove that she was here, but he returns it back with a passionate devotion that magnetizes her lips to his. His lips are as soft as she remembered, her hands gently grazing the light stubble on his jaw that she hadn’t noticed before. His arms snake across her lower back as he pulls her even closer, her heels slightly lifting off the ground. Oh how on earth will they get anything done when his lips feel like  _ this _ ?

He chuckles into the kiss, her thoughts projecting clearly through their bond. She chuckles back, finally acquiring the willpower to break apart. She lingers in his arms as she goes to wrap her arms around his waist.

“When did you get here?” she asks as her cheek is pressed to his chest.

“Yesterday morning. I wanted to make sure I found a suitable place for us on the island.”

“I can’t wait for a grand tour.” she giggles, looking up at him again.

“I can’t promise the same luxury as the palace on Naboo, but I think we can manage.” he chuckles, quickly kissing the tip of her nose. 

“Okay let me grab my bag…” she breaks apart from him to walk back to the Falcon. She notices that he doesn’t follow her, and turns back to see him staring impassively at the ship. “Ben?”

“Go ahead, sweetheart. I’ll wait here.” he seems unperturbed, but she can sense the strife in his mind about seeing this ship. The childhood memories, the adolescent trauma, how it only reminds him of his father. But he won’t let Rey see that, not when the ship has practically become hers in his father's death. She nods silently and dips back up the ramp for a few moments. She quickly returns with a small rucksack as she swings it on her shoulder and closes the ramp to the Falcon. He’s still staring at the ship so she reaches up to kiss his cheek, taking him out of his reviere. He blinks out of his trance and looks down to smile at her, lacing his fingers with hers and leading her up the cliffside.




“When you said you were going to find something ‘suitable’...I was not expecting this.” she breathes in amazement once they make it to the top of the plateau. It’s a stone cottage, not that much different from the ones she stayed in on the other island, but this one is at least double the size from the outside. Rey notices the complete fire pit just outside the front door as she’s ushered in by Ben. The inside is warm and insulated, feeling even bigger than it looks from the outside. The arrangements are modest, a cast iron cooking station, a small dining table, a cozy lounge area and a large bed.

“What do you think?” he asks as he wraps his arms around her waist from behind.

“Where did you get all this stuff?” She can’t imagine that all this could be found by scavenging the island. 

“I’ll leave the scavenging up to you.” he jokes, continuing her thoughts with a chuckle. “I made a pit stop to an Outer Rim outpost on Batuu. Managed to pick up supplies, food, and things to make it seem a bit more...like home.”

“It’s perfect.” she breathes, looking up to him gleefully. One of the arms around her waist goes over to remove the rucksack from her shoulder and sets it in the corner of the room by the bed. 

Comforting silence passes between them as Rey makes her way around their living space, inspecting and admiring all the little details. She runs her palm across the face of the bed, feeling the soft and plush blanket before taking a seat on its edge.

“You must be tired.” he states softly. She shrugs. Although it’s true, she doesn’t want to waste a moment with him finally here with her. Sleep can wait for now.

“Lie with me.” she whispers, extending her arm out to him. He strides across the room with a smirk before taking her hand and joining her on the bed. They lie on their sides facing each other, Rey’s head resting perfectly in between Ben’s chin and chest. She sighs contently, inhaling his scent for the first time in however long. She’s never been able to enjoy him in this close proximity, his arms enveloped over her body with one leg swung across hers to cage her in. In this moment, she feels truly and deeply happy. She tilts her chin up to look at him with drowsy eyes and a lazy smile. He meets her gaze and gently peppers a handful of kisses to her forehead, cheeks, nose and lips. 

“Rest, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Promise?”

He chuckles softly. “I promise.”


	14. Chapter 14

[ ](https://imgur.com/IB6aNcV)

Ben watches her as she rests, her soft breaths brushing against his face. He can’t believe that she’s here in his arms, his perfect angel, his warrior princess, finally here with him. That small incessant part of him thought that she would refuse after he brought her back to the Resistance, that she would finally come to her senses and stay in the protection of her friends and not with the monster that had torn his way through her life. But she actually _wanted_ to be with him, sought after him, and urged him that she would be there for him during his journey. Ben had never felt someone fight so hard _for him_. 

The last few weeks had been some of the hardest of his life. He’s had to relive some of his biggest regrets, come face to face with his most strained relationships, and atone for a lifetime of mistakes. He endured every moment of pain knowing that having a life with Rey would be the light at the end of an abysmal tunnel. She was the force that drove him through it all, and everything was all worth it now that she was here in his arms. He desperately wanted to kiss her parted lips, the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept was like watching the waves crash on the shores of the island. 

He didn’t know how much time passed before she slowly fluttered her eyes open. She stares up at him and he instantly feels her body relax at the sight of him. He tucks a stray piece of hair out of her face behind her ear, smiling down at her.

“Have a nice nap?” He asks. She nods before nuzzling deeper into his neck, her body almost perfectly molded with his. She places a kiss on the base of his throat, causing him to shudder against her touch. This seems to encourage her open mouthed kisses along his neck and across the sliver of exposed skin on his chest.

“Rey…” he breathes, tilting his neck up to give her more access. He didn’t expect it to feel this good, and wants to give her every part of him that she’s willing to take. Her hand trails down the expanse of his chest before quickly slipping under his shirt. Her cold fingertips send shockwaves through his warm skin as they trace every curve and dip in their path. He feels utterly helpless under her touch, his hand trailing down the side of her hip before rounding out over her backside and cupping it up towards him. She gasps against his skin as he massages her, kneading the fleshy skin of her bottom with intent. 

“I believe I owe you…” she whispers softly against his throat, her hand coming down from under his shirt down to the hardness in his pants. He sharply inhales at the touch, her hand palming through the fabric of his pants carefully.

“You don’t have to…” he begins before being cut off by his own moan. Although there’s nothing more he wants than for her to touch him, but he would never pressure her to reciprocate what he did for her at the palace. They had never talked about their previous sexual experiences before, but he can feel a mix of confidence and trepidation from her end of their bond as she slips her hand into the waistband of his pants.

“I want to. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.” she continues in between sucks to the skin on his neck. She suddenly stops her ministrations on his neck and in his pants, a whimper leaving his lips at the loss of contact. She smirks and gently pushes him to his back as she sits up on her knees next to him. He shimmies his way up to lean against the headboard of the bed, as she takes his shirt off in one quick swoop. Her eyes hungrily look down at him as she begins to unfasten and pull down his pants. He sits up, cupping the back of her neck and brings himself to kiss her feverishly as she works to push down his underwear, both of them gasping and moaning at the connection. 

_I’ve never done this before. Show me what you like._ She communicates through their bond. He feels a swell in his chest, that he can be a first for her. Hopefully the first of many.

She takes his length out of its confines, hard and erect at her touches. They don’t break their kiss as her small hands wrap around him and begin to gingerly work up and down the soft skin. 

_Yes, just like that. You’re so perfect. Yes._ He coaxes her through their bond. He can feel her surge of confidence growing as she continues to increase her pace against him. He takes the hand that's behind her head and slides it down to her left breast, gently squeezing and pinching the skin through the fabric of her tunic. She moans against his lips as she pushes her chest closer to his hands in an attempt to gain friction. 

He suddenly has a better idea as the hand on her breast swipes down to her lower stomach before disappearing into her leggings and underwear. Although she’s sitting on her knees, she carefully spreads them further apart to make space for his large hand.

_Silk? Oh, how lucky I am._ She can practically feel him smirk through the bond as his finger trails in between her thighs. His finger swirls around her wetness before dipping in gently. Their kiss breaks apart as she pants out his name, the rush of her own pleasure causing her hand on him to pump faster.

“Fuck…” he says out loud, breaking the pants and moans that have filled the room. They continue to bring each other to their shared peak, his fingers working in and out of her quickly as he gets closer to his climax. She feels his length tense in her hand before quick spurts of hot liquid land on her wrist and on his stomach, with her name and a string of expletives leaving his lips. He quickens his pace in her, bringing his thumb up to swirl her clit as he grunts in her ear.

“Let go, baby.” he sucks under her earlobe as she moans loudly, finally reaching her peak with his name on her lips. His fingers ride out her high as she finally flops on top of his chest in exhaustion, toppling them both back onto the mattress. Their ragged breaths are the only sound to fill the room, which has suddenly become more humid with heat. His arms instinctively wrap around her and squeeze her closer to his chest, her cheeks pressed against the erratic beating of his heart.

After a few moments of silence, she lets out a breathy giggle. He joins her with a chuckle, the two of them in blissful giddiness of their actions. She cranes her neck up to look at him with a blush across her cheeks before wiggling her body up to meet his lips in another kiss. 




“Are you hungry?” he asks her softly after some peaceful silence. Her head rests on his chest as he gently twirls his fingers through her soft hair.

“Is that even a question?” she smirks, earning a chuckle out of him. He slowly rises up, cupping the back of her head to join him as they sit up on the bed and meet each other's gaze. Unspoken words of admiration pass from his mind to hers before she quickly kisses him on the nose and swings her legs off the bed's edge. How ironic that this time she managed to stay fully dressed and he didn’t. 

He quickly slips his pants back up but doesn’t attempt to put his shirt back on as he climbs off the bed and heads towards the kitchen. He wipes down remnants of pleasure off his chest before rummaging through a trunk in the corner of the room, pulling out several ingredients and laying them on the table. She watches him fondly, appreciating the flexing and relaxing of his muscles as he dices up various vegetables and throws them into a pot of liquid hanging above a small fire. A savory smell starts to fill the room, Rey’s mouth now watering for more than one reason.

“I don’t know where to start.” he admits, not looking up from his work. “I feel like I know everything about you, yet nothing at all.”

“Likewise.” she responds, thinking back to her own uneasy thoughts before landing on the island. “But, I’m willing to be open and honest about everything if you are.” She hops off the edge of the bed and walks over to him. This gets him to look up from cutting up some kind of meat and adding it to the stew.

“I’ve never lied to you, Rey. I don’t plan on starting now.” he smirks. She comes around behind him and wraps her arms around his waist, placing a chaste kiss on his exposed back. 

As the suns start to set on the horizon, Rey and Ben take their meal outside to enjoy by the open fire. Ben has opted for a shirt again (much to Rey’s disappointment), and they enjoy their stew and pleasant conversation as the fire crackles in front of them. Rey tells him about everything that she’s done since Exegol: the start of the New Republic, her budding friendships, working on ships in the hangar, and her trip to Naboo. Ben listens to her thoughtfully, her eyes lighting up with every story and the walls that normally surround her heart gently come down. She doesn’t press him on his time apart from her, knowing that it’s been a lot more complex than hers. He will tell her when he’s ready, and for now she will just enjoy finally being with him. 




Rey takes her hair down from its top knot and ruffles it as she gets ready for bed. Ben is already sitting in bed, reading a book he bought on Batuu. Her back is turned to him and she feels a jolt of energy as she remembers what she’s wearing under her clothes. The black silk bralette and panty set felt like a safe option for their first night together, and judging by the comment he made as he touched her gives Rey the confidence she needs to bare it to him. She slowly begins to peel her tunic and leggings to reveal the set she would wear to bed. 

She takes a deep breath and turns back towards him. Ben still hasn’t looked up from his book as she walks to the bed so she has to quietly clear her throat to get his attention. He perks his head up and his jaw simultaneously comes loose from its hinges. There she is standing in nothing but a black silk bralette and panties, her hair down in fluffy natural curls and she looks at him with a cheeky glint in her eye.

“Fuck.” he whispers to himself, his eyes drinking her up from head to toe. She giggles and begins to crawl onto the bed. He doesn’t let her get very far before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to straddle his lap. “You're going to be the death of me.” his voice is hoarse as he skims his large hands up and down her hips. She blushes as she kisses him, allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of his lips reverently working against hers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! i'm still not super confident on my smut writing so please let me know what you think. 
> 
> as always, kudos and comments make me happy :)


	15. Chapter 15

Rey manages to wake up before him, and she revels in the feeling of her body being swaddled by his large arms. As much as she wishes to stay like this forever, the curious scavenger in her is tempted to explore the surroundings of the island. She wiggles herself free from his heat, the loss of contact causing a frown to appear on his lips but otherwise keeps him asleep. She changes into a simple long sleeve shirt and leggings, pulls her hair up into a ponytail and shuffles out the door without waking Ben up.

The crisp morning air doesn’t penetrate through the stone cottage, so the sharp feeling hits her quickly as soon as she steps out the door. The suns have barely risen above the horizon of the surrounding ocean, the waves crashing alongside the shores below them sending a mist up into the plateau. She can see a higher plateau connected to this one by another set of stone stairs, so she begins to trek that way to get a better view. It’s a steep climb but she marvels at the view from the top, the suns reflecting on the ocean waves, the breeze whipping through the green landscape below, a small stack of smoke billowing from their cottage from the cooking station fire. 

She decides to take a seat in the grass and attempt to meditate. She was never any good at it, her mind always drifting to another mission or thoughts of Ben; thankfully none of those things are really a concern right now. She has never felt more at peace than at this moment so why not give it another shot? She shuts her eyes and allows the force to swirl through her, acknowledging the balance the island brings. The grass, the waves, the rocks. All signs of life. Balance.

She can even feel Ben’s presence awaken. He seems concerned at first, probably because he woke up without Rey in the bed, but his force signature is now content and calm. She lets out a sigh of relief as she continues to feel and acknowledge the signals of the force around her.

“Good morning.” a deep voice says gingerly, instantly snapping her eyes open and bringing her to the ground with a thud. She hadn’t even realized that her attunement to the force had lifted her several inches off the ground, and her bum is thankful she was on the grass and not the stone. It’s almost as if her thoughts of him conjured his very presence.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to disturb someone's meditation?” she jokes, looking up at him. His smile sends warmth through her entire body as his hair whips gently with the breeze.

“My apologies, Master Jedi.” he chides playfully, squatting down to sit across from her. She playfully slaps his arm with a chuckle. 

“Did you sleep well?” she asks.

“Better than I have in a long time. But I must admit that I was a bit bereaved to wake up to a Rey-shaped emptiness next to me.” he smirks again.

“Sorry, I just wanted to explore this place. Had to let you get your beauty sleep.” she returns the smirk. They share another laugh before a peaceful silence falls between them.

“You know, I was never one to meditate until a few weeks ago.” he starts. “It helped me...see things I needed to see. Put stuff in perspective, ya know?” It’s almost as if he’s talking to himself, so Rey just nods silently. “I always had these voices in my head, and I thought those were the voices I was supposed to hear while meditating. After Exegol...I didn’t hear the voices anymore. They were gone, and I was able to truly feel and hear everything clearly, no interference.”

“I was never any good at it either...too distracted.” she shrugs with a smile. He laughs at that. “Maybe we can try together?”

“Yeah, let’s do it.” he smiles, settling into a comfortable seated position in front of her. They unintentionally mirror each other's movements as they lay their hands comfortably on their knees, close their eyes and take a deep breath. 

She can feel the energy of the force swirl around them, her attention captivated by the feeling of a heartbeat. It takes her a moment to realize it's not her own (maybe not  _ just _ her own), and she can feel his signature strong and luminous surrounding her like a hug. A burst of bright light fills her mind, her vision changing to show a series of flashing memories that she doesn’t recognize.

_ “My turn Daddy!” the chubby toddler squeals as Han Solo lifts him up into his lap. The young scruffy looking man begins describing every button on the Falcon’s dashboard as he lets the child pretend to steer the ship through hyperspace. _

_ - _

_ “And they both lived happily ever after...the end.” A young Leia Organa closes the picture book as her mop-headed son snuggles closer into her lap under the covers. “Goodnight, my sweet prince.” she whispers before placing a loving kiss to the top of his head. _

_ - _

_ It’s her. The girl he’s been having dreams about. Her light is magnetic and her power makes her even more beautiful. _

Just as she’s basking in the warmth of these happy memories, the energy in the force begins to shift. A dark cloud besieges the memories and the feeling in her heart is replaced with cold vitriol.

_ “They won’t be able to make it tonight. I’m so sorry, Master Ben.” Threepio states sympathetically. Han is off on another adventure, Leia stuck in an emergency meeting of the Galactic Senate. Ben is spending his eighth birthday alone. _

_ - _

_ “They don’t love you, they fear you.” A withered figure declares. “I can teach you how to control your gifts.” A hand comes to rest on a young Ben Solo’s shoulder. Snoke. _

_ - _

_ A saber through his father’s heart. The broken look his father gives him before plummeting down a bottomless cavern. Regret. Pain. Doubt. Suffering. _

Rey snaps out of the vision sharply, her breath uneven and panicked. She hastily looks over to Ben who’s still in it, his eyes closed, muttering incoherent words from a terror-stricken face. She can feel the darkness encompassing him and she has to do something quickly before he allows these thoughts to overtake him. She quickly rushes over to him and cups his face in his hands.

“Ben! Ben, please! I’m here, it’s going to be okay…” she sobs, trying to snap him out of it.

His eyes shoot open as he gasps like he’s been underwater for an hour. His whole body is trembling as she gently rubs the pads of her thumbs over his cheeks in an attempt to soothe him. It takes him a moment to fixate his flourishing eyes on her, his breath starting to gain control as they are locked in each other’s gaze. 

“I--” he tries to say with a quivering voice. She softly shushes him, taking one of her hands off his cheek to gently comb through his hair.

“It’s okay...you’re okay.” she whispers, kissing the single tear that has managed to escape his eye. He shudders out a shallow breath. There’s a silence between them, their ragged breaths and the crashing of the waves below the only sound to fill their ears. He slowly comes down to lay on his side with his head in her lap as she continues to run her fingers gently through his hair and rub circles down his back. 

“That’s happened a lot recently.” he finally manages to say aloud. His voice is low and slightly hoarse. “My whole life coming back in waves, both the good and the bad. And I didn’t have any way to come out of it myself. I would spend what felt like hours living through memory after memory...an outsider looking in, unable to do or say anything. Just watching...and suffering. But then, I would get a glimpse of you.” This startles her a little, but she doesn’t waver or say anything. “It would be the time my grandfather's saber called to you on Starkiller Base, or when you came to me on Snoke’s ship. Any memory I could get of you made the whole thing worth suffering through. To know that if there was any semblance of mercy in this galaxy…it would lead me back to you.” 

She wishes she could see his face as he says this to her, so instead she projects her love and warmth through their bond hoping it's enough. She can feel him unwind both physically and mentally as he releases another shaky sigh. Rey wishes she could tell him the right thing, something that will make him feel better...but she doesn’t know if anything will. He’s still very deep in his own personal journey, and just being a presence is the best she can do for now. 

After a period of more comfortable silence between them, he finally sits up to look at her. 

“There’s a waterfall and a small cove on the other side of the island. Would you like to go and see it?” he asks hopefully. The adoration and almost child-like wonder in his eyes is too much for her to refuse, and she nods her head happily.

“I would love to.” she beams up at him. He returns her smile at her acceptance and before either one of them can think, he cups her jaw and brings her in for a kiss. A kiss that should be innocent enough, but with the heavy emotional weight that has just been brought upon them they find themselves deepening it briefly before coming back to their senses. Rey looks down at the grass and smirks before standing up and reaching her hand out to him. He looks at her hand for a moment, almost in awe that someone smaller than him is offering to help him up, but he grins up at her and envelopes hers with his own. 




The waterfall is on the south-side of the mountain, enclosed by the concave erosion in the hill. After their morning meditation, Ben had gone back to the cottage to gather food and water into a bag while Rey quickly went down to the Falcon to grab an extra blanket. He had vaguely mentioned the idea of a picnic, a foreign concept to Rey but she trusted him enough to go along with it. It only takes them about half an hour to hike down the rocks and grassy plains before they can see the vague outline of a waterfall embedded into the side of the mountain, pooling into a small cove of crystal clear water before continuing down a flowing stream out of view. A grassy meadow surrounds the small body of water, and Ben puts his bag down a few feet away from the edge of the water.

Rey looks up at the waterfall in astonishment. Her first trip to Ahch-To was when she first experienced rain, she was so giddy with the idea of not just the water in the ocean, but that there was also water falling freely from the sky. This kind of water is even more new and interesting, continuously falling from the side of a mountain in a fluid cascade. Ben can feel her amazement and it fills his heart with warm joy, the things he takes for granted are the things she treasures as new and unique experiences. This is what he was hoping for when he saw the waterfall on his first descent into the island, how much she would love to swim around while the falls descend on her.

“It’s beautiful.” she breathes. He resists the cliche ‘so are you’ response he so desperately wants to say, instead opting for wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her temple. He begins to shed his tunic and pants and walk towards the water when he turns to still see her standing still. Her eyes are raking up and down his body, clad in only a pair of black shorts, as he tries to push down the blush that makes its way to his cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, walking back to her.

“I...can’t swim?” she mutters, still staring down his chest. He chuckles softly, of course he should have assumed that.

“I’ve got you. Do you trust me?” he asks, holding the hem of her top between his forefingers and thumbs. She looks up to meet his eyes and nods. He carefully peels her top above her head, walks over to where they've set up their blanket and neatly folds it before setting it on the ground next to their bag. He turns back around to see that she’s already removed her boots and leggings, left in nothing but a forest green bandeau bra and matching panties. 

The wind is temporarily knocked out of his lungs as he takes her in: the freckles along her collarbone and shoulders are a lot more prominent in the sun, she’s taken her hair out of its ponytail and left it in ruffled waves to her shoulders, a nervous smirk across those perfectly supple lips. He takes her hand and guides her down to the shallow edge of the water. He walks in the first few steps in to show her it's not that deep, judging from what he can see the whole pool can’t be deeper than four or five feet. She follows him slowly, slightly shuddering at the contact once her feet touch the water. 

“I’m about to just carry you in myself.” he jokes at how long it's taking her to get used to the temperature. She giggles as she looks down at the pebbles at her feet, before looking back up at him and putting her arms out.

“Go ahead, I trust you.” she states. He’s slightly surprised that she’s agreeing to his joke, but he obliges nonetheless. Placing his hands on her hips, she wraps her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist. They can’t help but chuckle, but he takes the opportunity to walk them deeper and deeper into the pool, the crisp clear water slowly starting to make contact with the rest of their bodies. She hisses slightly as the water reaches her chest, suddenly gripping him tighter as he takes no time to push them further along. When everything from the neck down is finally submerged, he pauses to her at her. She's looking down at the water below them in awe, the ripples and distorted images of their submerged bodies filling her with elation. 

“Hold your breath.” he whispers just inches from her face. Her eyes go wide as she takes a deep inhale of air before he fully immerses them both under the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys are enjoying this story so far! i've been posting some moodboards when I tweet out a new chapter, you can check them out on my twitter @blessedreylo
> 
> next chapter is gonna be... *wiggles eyebrows* so stay tuned for that ;)


	16. Chapter 16

[ ](https://imgur.com/khkYFCJ)

To Rey, being underwater feels like being on another planet. The sounds around her are muffled, the cold water touches every inch of her, and Ben’s arms instinctively grip her tighter. She doesn’t open her eyes because she honestly doesn’t know what will happen if she does. They’re both underwater for a few seconds before he pushes them back up past the surface gasping for air. Rey is sputtering the water she managed to get in her mouth while Ben smirks at her. Her hair is now slicked back out of her face making her doe eyes more prominent against her freckled skin.

“That was fun.” she states stoically, earning a chuckle from Ben. The grip around her waist softens as he brings his hands to her hips and begins rubbing gentle circles with the pads of his thumbs. Although he’s sure she could stand in the water and not be completely submerged, he’s enjoying holding her and making her feel safe. 

“Every summer we would go to my family’s lake house on Naboo. I’d spend almost every day in the water. One time, I managed to swim from the house to a small island in the middle of the lake. I spent hours just laying in the sand doing nothing.” he reminisces. She softly lays her head on his shoulder as they continue to float together. “But by the time I had to go back I was so tired I couldn’t swim. I had to call mom through the force and ask her to bring a boat to come get me.” This earns a laugh from Rey, who is imagining a begrudged Leia pulling up in a small speed boat to rescue her adolescent son. She can’t help but smile at the fact that he told her a fond childhood memory, that he’s beginning to find peace. With the feeling of contentment between them, she nuzzles her face closer to his neck and places a quick kiss to it.

“Will you teach me how to swim?” she asks, tracing patterns on his back with her fingers.




“I don’t understand how your big old body can do that!” she protests playfully as he floats on his back next to her. She’s finally gained the confidence to stand upright on her own, but the skill of floating has unfortunately gone amiss.

“You’re not trying, Rey.” he stands back up, scooping her bridal style and laying her across the surface of the water. She shivers at the sudden chill of being exposed out of the water. “Relax your body.” he states, holding his palms under her shoulders and the backs of her thighs. He takes this moment to truly appreciate her lithe figure, slim but muscular build under soft tanned skin. He can see her chest rise and fall as her legs loosen up in an attempt to relax. He can’t help himself with her in this state, in this ensemble, looking like _that_ …

He bends forward and places a delicate kiss on the taut skin of her abdomen, the sudden sensation causing it to constrict further. She makes no attempt to stop him, so he continues gentle open mouth kisses up her abdomen, in between the valley of her breasts, up to her collarbones. She sighs softly at his actions, her eyes fluttering closed as she takes in his kisses. After a sufficient time on her upper body, he trails back down the way he came before, deliberately omitting where she would like it most. She huffs quietly as he skips that area around her panties and places kisses on the tops of her thighs and down her legs with a smirk. 

“Ben…” she whimpers. He hums inquisitively against her knee. “You’re such a tease.”

“Maybe so, but now you’re floating.” he comes up to meet her face, her eyes flickering open. He lifts his hands out of the water to show her floating on her own. She lets out a surprised chuckle, reveling in the fact that she’s finally doing it without assistance. “Using unconventional methods, I’ll admit. But it worked.” he laughs, standing up out of the water to tower his face over hers. 

Careful to not ruin her balance, she lifts her arms out of their supine position to wrap her arms around his neck and presses him down to kiss her. His hand quickly comes under her back to stabilize her before scooping her off her back and against his chest, her legs instinctively wrapping around his hips again. The kiss borderlines desperate as his tongue dives into her mouth at first opportunity, a moan quickly escaping the back of her throat. She unintentionally (ok, maybe _a little_ intentionally) grinds her hips against his, the thin pieces of fabric between them leaving nothing to the imagination. 

“Now who’s the tease?” He groans into her mouth as his hands move down her back to cup her backside, the sudden squeeze causing her to gasp excitedly. He walks her closer and closer to the waterfall, the sudden noise of rushing water drowning out their soft moans and gasps. They stop for a moment as he dips them under the falls, an excited shriek living her lips as the water completely engulfs them. On the inside of the falls is a small plunge pool surrounded by a bed of rocks. Ben lifts her up from the water and sits her on one of the rocks, his face lining up perfectly with her abdomen. His large hands stroke up and down her thighs, looking up at her in mischievous adoration. 

“Ben...please…” she trembles as he begins placing kisses on her thighs. Her hand comes up to run her fingers through his wet hair, almost trying to push the back of his head closer to her core. He smirks into her inner thigh as he nudges her knees open, his hot breath brushing up against her. She stifles a moan as he moves her panties to the side and places a soft kiss between her thighs. 

Rey has never understood the concept of this before; she’s heard women on the Resistance base talk about it and been utterly perplexed why anyone would allow someone else's mouth _there..._ but oh boy was she mistaken. His plump lips are just as indulgent here, if not more, then when he's normally kissing her, she can’t control the sounds and ragged breaths that escape her. He’s feverently lapping her up with his tongue in between open mouth kisses to the sensitive bundle of nerves, even taking it between his lips and sucking hard enough to cause Rey to practically cry out his name. 

“I want you to look, Rey. Look at me.” he glances up through fluttered lashes to meet her wide eyes. Matching the sensation with the visual of him in between her thighs as he touches himself through his shorts is the spark that sends her to her peak. The grip on his hair tightens as her hips and his tongue ride her orgasm in tandem. He grunts and hums against her, signalling that he’s reached his own release only moments later as he continues to caress her against his lips. 

They’re both completely out of breath in the time that follows, his head resting on her thigh as she leans her back against the cool touch of the rocks behind her. She can’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of him pleasuring her with his mouth behind a waterfall on a remote island planet. He hears her thoughts through their bond and joins her laughter before gripping her waist and returning her back to the water. He tucks a stray hair behind her ear before she takes the pad of her thumb and wipes some residual wetness off his bottom lip, chuckling at him again. 




The midday sun peeks through the trees as Rey and Ben lay out on a blanket in the grass just off the water's edge. They’ve spent the last few hours swimming, floating, splashing and doing ... _other things_ to pass the time. Much to Rey’s delight, Ben has pulled out a lunch spread of cured meat, cheese, bread and Jogan fruit cider. 

"I can’t believe you’ve never had a picnic before!” he says as he takes a bite out of his makeshift sandwich.

“Well unless you count me sitting in the sand outside my AT-AT eating my portions…” she starts sarcastically. She didn’t mean for it to sound chastising, but the look on his face instantly shifts to regret and embarrassment. He curses himself, he shouldn’t be stupid enough to mock her tumultuous upbringing. 

“Oh, shit...I’m so sorry I didn’t mean-” he stammers, trying to backpedal.

“Ben, it’s okay. I know you didn't mean it like that.” she says softly, placing her hand on top of his. “That part of my life is over. The way I look at it, I get to have a life of all these new experiences...with you.” her eyes are soft and understanding as she tries to assure him. 

“You are the strongest person I’ve ever met. I will make sure that you never live that kind of life again.” He states matter of factly. He leans over and places a chaste kiss under her ear. “I love you so much.” he whispers into her hair, his voice low and deep. 

Happiness. Content. Joy. Love. That’s all she can feel as she looks to meet his warm chocolate eyes. Yeah, her life before all this was a struggle to say the least, but if every bad thing that ever happened in her life led her to the life she has now with Ben and her friends...then maybe it was all worth it.


	17. Chapter 17

The warm light of the fire crackles in front of them as nightfall comes, Ben and Rey utterly exhausted from events of the day. They both are sitting on the ground in front of the fire adjacent to the cottage, Rey’s back against Ben in between his spread legs. She rests the back of her head into his chest as his arms comfortably hold her around her waist from behind. They have just eaten dinner and are enjoying the peace of each other’s company against the moonlight. Their day at the waterfall had been probably one of the happiest days she’d ever had, the feeling of unabashed joy with the man she loves breathing a new life into her. She can feel their shared content through the bond, but there’s something else scratching at her consciousness. Every fiber in her being has tried not to peer further into his mind since she arrived on the island, but sitting here in relaxed silence with him has opened the mental gates to the deep unknown parts of him.

“You know I can feel you poking around in there.” he chuckles softly, picking up on her thoughts and presence in his mind. She covers her face in embarrassment, hoping he isn’t mad at her thirst for information.

“I’m sorry. I just want to know…” she begins quietly.  _ What happened since Exegol? _

“Ask me anything.” 

She looks up at him slightly puzzled. She didn’t expect it to be that easy, that he would be so willing to share what has undoubtedly been a difficult, if not traumatic, experience. He can sense her uncertainty. 

“I told you I would never lie to you, Rey. I made a promise that I would tell you what you want to know.” He kisses her temple and she turns back around to face the fire. Her mind is swirling with potential questions, some incredibly simple and some that are sure to cause some emotional distress. 

“Where did you go?” She starts with something easy. Probably the thing she’s most curious about, since he seemed so intent on her not going there to meet him.

“Jakku.” he says promptly with a small scoff. 

_ What???  _ Okay, now she’s truly flummoxed. She spins her waist around again to truly look at him in bewilderment, there’s no way she heard him correctly.

“Jakku? You can’t be serious.” She raises an eyebrow to him as he nods in return. “Why?”

“A few reasons. The obvious being that it’s in the shit middle of nowhere so no one would find me.” This prompts a snort of laughter out of her. “I didn’t want you to meet me there because I didn’t want you to have to suffer in that place again. But I guess the deeper reason was that some part of me wanted to experience a part of your life. Get some perspective on what your life was like before I met you.”

“And what conclusion did you draw?” she asks with a smirk. 

“That it’s truly the worst place in the galaxy and that I love you and respect you even more knowing that you survived it.” he remarks flatly, causing another bark of laughter to escape her lips. She knows how truly awful of a place it is, and even though he was only there for a few weeks she can’t imagine the hell he probably went through. He quickly flashes her mind with images of him in the desert, covered in sand and absolutely miserable. She feels bad for laughing, but not as bad when she hears him laughing too.

“What else do you want to know?”

She pauses for a moment, unable to properly formulate her question. “Who have you...spoken to?”

“My father, or at least a memory of my father, right after you stole my ship on Kef Bir.” Another wave of embarrassment hits her, how could she be so foolish to angrily deny what she knew to be true? To fight him with rage, stab him with his own saber, and then take his ship? It was completely out of character, and she’ll never not feel regretful of it. “I don’t hate you for that by the way, I probably deserved it.” he quips, reading her thoughts as he brings her hand up to his lips and kisses her knuckles.

“Okay, your father. Who else? You don’t need to go into details by the way, I’m sure they were very private conversations over things I’ll probably never understand.”

“Maybe one day, my love.” his lips linger on her knuckle for another moment before placing it back in her lap, his hand still over hers. “But once I was on Jakku, my mother came to me almost immediately. Even as part of the force she is still her own force to be reckoned with.” he chuckles to himself. “We talked for a long time about everything. Her regrets, my mistakes, how she swears that she will haunt me for the rest of my life if I do anything to make you unhappy.” He says that last part so fluidly it almost goes right over Rey’s head but she catches up a moment later and laughs again.

“Wow, I love that woman.” she remarks fondly. He hums in agreement. It makes her happy knowing that he still loves his mother after all this time, and that they seem to be on the path to mutual forgiveness. She can feel some threads of guilt and regret still lingering in him, how he wishes he could’ve come to those conclusions while she was still alive. 

“Luke decided to make an appearance a few days after that. I think he was confirming with Mom that I wouldn’t try to kill a dead man.” Another round of laughter between them. Rey recalls the last time Ben saw Luke. His force projection across the galaxy, although impressive, didn’t leave the best lasting impression on Ben. “Our conversation was not as easy, there was still a lot of back and forth. I know he and I will never see eye to eye...but I think we came to a mutual understanding that we both made a lot of mistakes. It was an amicable conversation at best.”

“I’m glad. During that time I thought about what you interacting with Luke looked like. It almost never had a good ending.” He scoffs at that, pinching her sides teasingly. 

“You clearly had a lot of faith in me, darling.” he laughs. “He also mentioned you too. How glad he is that you forged your own path. I swear, everyone in my family likes you more than me.” She looks up at him in a twisted scowl; although she’s sure he meant the comment in jest she knows how his family’s love is a sore spot for him so she doesn’t want to encourage his self-deprecating notion. He hears her thoughts clearly through their bond and chuckles. “I’m just kidding...a little.” 

This earns a soft chuckle from her as she nudges his chest with her elbow. They enjoy a comfortable period of silence between them, listening to the crackling of the fire and the distant crashing of the waves. A deeper question pokes the front of her mind, she’s almost afraid to ask it because she doesn’t know if she wants to hear the answer.

“Would you take it all back if you could? Change everything?” she asks in a low voice, her eyes not leaving the flames of the fire. She can sense him slightly perplexed at the question before thinking about it for a few moments.

“I did some awful things, and awful things were done to me. I believe the force wielded this path for me for some large purpose, to teach me some greater message. I think I would regress as a person if I could completely take it all back. Not to mention, I would never learn what it feels like to love or be loved back, what real sacrifice looks like, how events of my past shaped me into who I am.” She turns to look up to him as he speaks, tears welling in her eyes. “So for that reason, I say no. Everything I ever did, good and bad, led me to this moment with you and I would never take it back.” He whispers. She turns to look at him, and he softly brushes a fallen tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. 

She tilts her head up to kiss him deeply, the hand on her cheek gently caressing her jawline. She completely agrees with his every word; every bad memory or emotional hardship led their souls to converge in this moment, and now they can be free of that pain apart and enjoy their love together. He breaks the kiss to scoop her up bridal style, lifting himself up in the process as excited squeals escape her lips. He throws her over his shoulder as he takes a nearby bucket of water and extinguishes the fire, uncontrollable laughter trembling across Rey’s body.

“Ben! Put me down!” she howls with laughter, stomping her fists against his back as he grips her with one arm and opens the door to their cottage with the other. His laughter is deep and rich, sending vibrations across them as he tosses her onto the bed and cowers on top of her. 

He connects their lips again as his hands begin to roam her body, her leg hooking into the back of his thigh to bring him closer to her. This maneuver causes his growing hardness to slam in between her thighs, a startled gasp escaping between their lips at the needed contact. He groans as he moves again to create that delicious friction between them, his desperate kisses traveling down her throat as she arches her back into him further.

“I love you.” he murmurs into her collarbone, his deep loving voice like a drug.

“I love  _ you _ .” she breathes, moaning at the electric connection coursing between them. 

It’s love. It’s always been love, whether they wanted to admit to it or not. Two lonely souls merged together by the fate of the force. Powerful dark coming to meet powerful light. There is nowhere they’d rather be than in this moment, on this island, in each other's arms.

She tugs at the hem of the back of his shirt, peeling it off over his shoulders and tossing it to the side. He diligently removes her top and bra, sucking wet kisses into the swells of her breasts as she writhes underneath them. They waste no time shedding the rest of the clothing that separates them until they are fully bare to each other, panting heavily as their eyes rake over each other's bodies. No masks, no facades, only pure vulnerable love between them. He inserts two fingers inside her to prep her tight walls for the inevitable, working in and out of her gradually.

“Ben, please…” she gasps eagerly.  _ You are my first. You will be my only.  _

Her words through the bond send a shiver down his spine, the emotional gravity of the situation only heightening the pleasure.

_ You will also be my first. _

Her eyes narrow to him in bewilderment. There’s no way. He’s a few years her senior, not to mention he surely had a fair share of women available to him as Supreme Leader. How has he never…

“I’ve done  _ things. _ ” he states in a panting breath, a little glint in his eye. “But a part of me always thought to save  _ it _ for the right person. I never thought I would be worthy of that kind of happiness or love with a person, but it was a nice dream to have. That part of me knew it was you all along, Rey.”

She pulls his face down to kiss him breathlessly. His admission continues to heighten her pleasure, and he quickly removes his fingers from her to prolong her as long as possible. She wants him  _ now _ and makes it inexplicably clear through their bond. He lines himself up with her entrance, a steady exhale as he pushes the tip in. She gasps, already feeling more stretched than his two fingers. She gently coaxes him on through their bond with promises that he’s not hurting her, inch by inch pushing in until he’s fully seated in her. She lets out an unsteady exhale as she acclimates to the feeling, a single tear escaping from the corner of her eye. It’s not too painful, but she won't deny that the feeling of him is foreign and slightly uncomfortable. He quickly kisses her cheeks and whispers words of love against her skin, her hands coming up to rest in his hair at the nape of his neck. After a few minutes of stillness and heavy breathing, she nods at him to continue.

It’s agonizingly slow to begin with, Ben taking himself out a few inches at a time before pushing back in. The tight warmth around him is heavenly, but he does everything in his power to make sure this is every bit as pleasurable for her. He takes one of her nipples between his lips and swirls his tongue around it, the stimulation coaxing moans from her lips. The pace is beginning to quicken and he’s not sure how much longer he can last. As he continues the work on her breast and inside her, he brings his thumb up to press circles against her clit. She practically arches her back off the bed and the multiple sites of stimulation, panting and breathing his name in between moans as the pace reaches a crescendo. Every nerve ending is electrified between them as he comes, the pooling warmth now inside her pushing her over the edge to join him. She cries out his name as he grunts hers into the shell of her ear, riding out their highs before he flops on top of her in exhaustion.




She twirls a tendril of his hair between her fingertips as he rests his head on top of her chest, their breathing the only sound to fill the humid room. She never wants to forget this feeling, the feeling of peace and tenderness that she knows she’ll never share with another. She can sense that the feeling is mutual between their bond, his force signature glowing as bright and warm as she’s ever seen it. He eventually gets up and untangles them from each other, and she shivers suddenly from the loss of contact. The loss doesn’t last for long as he shifts the blankets over them and pushes her body close to his again. Before she lets him lock her under the covers, she bends over the edge of the bed to grab his sweater off the ground and throws it over herself, practically drowning in the oversized fabric. There’s something about him seeing her in his clothes that makes him want to start round two, but she quickly picks up on his thoughts and playfully slaps his chest with a giggle. He settles on just holding her close to his chest, his arm slung over her body as her hand reaches up to interlace his fingers with hers. In the sheer serenity of their connected touch, they both drift off into a deep and blissful sleep. 


	18. Chapter 18

“Ben, if we don’t get up the whole day will be wasted.” Rey groans softly as she stretches her arms out. Ben has a death grip on her waist as he snuggles her further into the warm comfort of their bed. 

“Well I don’t think staying in this bed and kissing every inch of you is a complete waste of my day.” Ben murmurs against her back of her neck, paired with a handful of open mouth kisses to her shoulder.

It’s been ten days since she first arrived on the island, ten days that have been some of the best of her life. They’ve created a small routine for themselves: wake up, hike to the hillside, meditate, kiss, eat, kiss again, share stories, kiss some more, maybe do some training, eat dinner, and then spend the rest of the night in bed exploring each other. It’s been great for both of them, the combination of meditation, communication and intimacy growing their bond stronger and strong every day. She’s learned more about some of his struggles in exile, how visions of his grandparents visited him in dreams or when his mother would check on him during all hours of the day. They had shared a handful of arguments about inconsequential differences between them, but it didn’t last very long before their shared anger flipped into a different kind of passion. 

His continued kisses down her exposed back is incredibly distracting and makes it even harder to try to part from him and this warm bed. The arm around her waist begins to trail down her stomach until it reaches right below her bellybutton. Because her back is turned to him she can’t see him smirk at her sudden sharp breath but she sure as hell can feel his mischievousness through their bond.

“Sore?” he whispers, a mix of playfulness and concern laced in his deep voice. 

“A little, but I’ll be fine.” she whispers, tilting her head back a little as his kisses trail across her throat. She went from having no sex prior to coming to this island to having it practically every day (even multiple times a day when she’s lucky) but the frequency and sheer size of him is taking her body a little longer to get used to. The events of the night before had her trying to be on top for the first time, and although it was exhilarating it left the lower half of her body completely aching.

He takes one of her legs and extends it behind her to rest on top of his, opening her up for his hand to swoop to the apex of her thighs. “I’ll be gentle.” he whispers as he swirls two fingers against her clit. A breathy moan escapes her lips and she knows she’s definitely stuck in this bed for a little while longer. 




After several hours they’ve finally managed to leave the confines of their bed and make their way to the cliffside for some meditation. Although Rey’s had a more than pleasant morning, an eerie feeling creeps into the back of her mind as they trek up to their spot. She tries to brush it aside and focus on the present with Ben, carefully sitting in their usual patch of grass. As they sit in front of each other, he places a quick kiss to the tip of her nose before assuming their meditative positions, simultaneously closing their eyes and letting out a controlled exhale. 

The glow of their bond is always the first thing they see, the balance between them ever present. It’s been a few days since it’s shifted heavily to one side or the other, usually maintaining this level of harmony throughout their mediation. Today does not look like it will be one of those days, a dark cloud almost instantly forming to dissipate their glow. She half expects it to be another of Ben’s nightmares, but suddenly her vision is cast in familiar darkness. 

Blue lightning crashes around her, a deep unsettling laugh echoing through her consciousness.  _ My granddaughter. I am the only family you have left. _

A hot gust of wind littered with sand, the agonizing screams of a child.  _ Come back! Please come back! _

A malevolent whisper of the truth she can’t bear to hear.  _ Never forget who you truly are. _

She can feel Ben trying to push his way through the hurricane of darkness, but he still feels miles away from her. She can’t move, she can only feel everything as it passes through her. Her body is shaking, unable to control the frigid eclipse of feelings that surrounds. After weeks of suppressing it all, she knew it was only a matter of time before the trauma and revelations of her past would finally bubble to the surface of her mind. Now there’s nothing she can do but suffer through it. 

It simultaneously feels like minutes and hours before she finally snaps out of the darkness. Returning to consciousness with choked gasps of air, she immediately feels strong warm hands gripping her arm and cupping her cheek. Her eyes rapidly blink open, taking a few moments to adjust to the sunlight after being in the dark for so long. She immediately sees Ben’s face twisted in anguish as he whispers things that she can’t hear due to the ringing in her ears. Rey is slowly lowered to the soft grass as her head is cradled into Ben’s lap, gentle strokes running through her hair.

“Rey, I’m here. It’s okay, you’re safe. I’ve got you.” Ben mutters softly, his voice wavering slightly. She doesn’t know how much time passes before her breathing starts to feel normal, before she can begin to control the steady stream of tears that have escaped the corners of her eyes. Ben has already made a valiant effort to gently wipe away as many as he can, frequently bending down to kiss her cheeks and whisper sweet words in her ear. She finally finds the strength to lift her arm up and gently tug on his collar, a silent plea to have him come lay in the grass with her. He quickly obliges, gently taking her head out of his lap to lay next to her with his body turned to the side. 

“Well...that wasn’t fun.” she manages to croak out, earning a sympathetic chuckle from Ben. She smiles weakly at him, nudging closer to the palm that he has rested on her cheek.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks. Of course he already knows of her lineage (he’s the one who broke the bloody news to her), but they’ve never actually talked about it. She lets out a shaky breath, nodding her head slowly. 

“It’s just...I never had any time to process it. To just find out, and then continue on like nothing happened. Like it didn’t completely change everything I thought I ever knew about myself. To keep it a secret from everyone who cared about me because I feared it would change how they felt about me. That they would fear me.” She looks up to him in between sobs, who’s listening intently to everything she’s saying with a concentrated frown. “And then to think about my parents. Why did they leave me there? Did they really think that was the best way to keep me safe? Or were they just trying to get rid of me to save themselves? I’ve spent nights just crying myself to sleep about them, always getting more questions than answers.” She pauses again to gage his reaction.

“I heard a voice...a man I didn’t recognize. Said something about never forgetting who you are. Who was that, Rey?” 

“Oh...that.” she scoffs forlornly. “When I was on Naboo, I came across a group of the emperor’s supporters. Their leader, he somehow knew...he tried to get me to join them, continue the  _ family legacy _ .” Her voice cracks slightly and his hand quickly rushes to grab hers, squeezing lightly. “I knew I never would, but the fact that that’s what people would expect of me if they knew who I was a...I can’t even say the name. I’m ashamed of it...disgusted by it.”

“Rey, you are more than a family name. You’d gone your entire life not even knowing, and you are a  _ good _ person. By defeating the emperor you defeated the hate and evil associated with that name. Now you have the power to continue to be good, to bring light to the galaxy. Please believe that.” He brings her hand up to kiss her knuckles and she relishes the feeling of their skin connected. He probably knows more than anyone about the expectations of a family name, so she finds solace in his words. She snuggles up closer to him in the grass, placing a quick but reassuring kiss to his lips. 

“I love you.” she whispers, all the pain and coldness dissolving around her. 

“I love  _ you _ .” he whispers back, leaning in to kiss her back. “Plus if the name really bothers you, you can always change it to Solo.”

She can’t help but laugh in surprise, a dimpled smile emerging across his face. “Ben Solo, if that’s your idea of a marriage proposal you’re going to have to try a lot harder than that.” she teases with a giggle.

“Oh, I plan on it. One day, sweetheart.” he winks with a toothy grin. She’s suddenly flooded with warmth at the idea of being married to him, to be able to call him her  _ husband _ . For her entire life, love and marriage were considered far-fetched dreams, a life she could only hope of finding amongst the desolate loneliness of the desert. But everyday with Ben it feels more and more like a pending reality. 

“Yes, one day.” she whispers back with a smile, pulling him into another sweet and delicate kiss.

They spend the next few hours sitting together looking over the view from their meditation spot on the cliffside. The crashing of the waves below them, the swaying of the grass and the trees, how small and quaint their makeshift home looks from this high up. There’s one thing that seems to captivate Ben’s attention, the small Corellian YT-1300f light freighter parked on the rocky shores of the island. From the first day she landed on the island she could sense Ben’s apprehension about the ship, all the memories it held and how they would eventually have to use it to get off the island. 

“When was the last time you were on the Falcon?” Rey asks pensively. He turns to look at her, a little perplexed at the question.

“I haven’t been since Starkiller Base. I saw it crash-landed in the snow, had to see if there was some chance that maybe he was still on it. I was instantly flooded with memories as soon as I boarded.” He’s looking down at his lap, trying to keep his composure. “Because I was so filled with hatred I pushed out all the good ones and focused on the bad ones.” As soon as Rey rests a gentle hand on his knee he chokes out a sob, trembling with the trauma of his past.

“Would you go on it right now...with me?” she asks. He turns to look at her, pursing his lips into a tight line as he nods his head. She places a slow loving kiss to his cheek, ushering him up and making their way down the cliffside. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're almost at the end! I hope you guys have been enjoying this story!


	19. Chapter 19

[ ](https://imgur.com/K1eoDXv)

The exhale of the exit ramp shoots open and she can practically feel Ben vibrating with nervous energy. She grabs his hand tightly as she leads him up the ramp and into the main cabin. She slowly lets go of him and allows him to roam freely, watching him with sharp intent as he takes in his surroundings. 

“This ship hasn’t changed at all. Almost as if frozen in time.” he mutters, tracing his fingertips along the Dejarik table. 

“I can confirm that it’s definitely a lot older.” she jokes, earning a laugh from him. She leans her body against the door frame, watching him as he inspects the cockpit. He sits in the pilot's seat and sighs to himself, running his fingers over the control panel. She’s standing behind the seat, but he reaches for her hand and instinctively guides her to come sit on his lap. Rey curls up into his chest, breathing in his scent as she sits quietly and anticipates what he’ll do next. Of course she could just prod into his mind, but she gives him the freedom to tell her.

“I think it’s time we go back.” he finally says. She looks at him with raised eyebrows, silently asking him to elaborate. “We should go back to the Resistance. I still have some loose ends before I can feel truly at peace.”

“Wait, really? Why?” she asks softly.

“Even though my mother is gone, what she stood for is still alive. I also know how much they mean to you, so I would like to make amends with them. If they even want to.”

“They would, Ben. They know how much you mean to me. Although it might be hard at first, I know they would come around. If that’s what you want, I know they would want that too.” she smiles, carding her fingers lightly through his hair.

“Okay...let’s get packing.” he whispers, cupping her jaw with his palm before placing a quick kiss to her lips. 




It feels strange leaving the island, the place they’ve called a temporary home for almost two weeks. It’s been a peaceful retreat from the cacophony they’re used to from the war, the First Order, the Resistance, practically  _ the entire galaxy _ . It’s already a little late today to leave so they spend the rest of the night packing so they can depart first thing in the morning. As Ben goes back up to gather things from the cottage, Rey sends out a comm to Rose to ensure that everyone that Ben wants to speak to is still on base and lets them know that they’ll be returning tomorrow. Rose’s response is almost instant, her cheerfulness clear through the comm confirming everyone's presence and how excited she is that they’ll be back.

Once the last of their things is stowed on the Falcon, they decide to spend the night on the ship so they can be ready to leave. Although she’s practically called the Falcon her home recently, it already feels strange compared to the small home her and Ben had created for themselves on the island. 




“Everything will be okay, I promise.” Rey whispers as the Falcon makes landfall on Ajan Kloss. She can feel the buzzing nervous energy coming from Ben’s end of the bond, and she can’t deny that she feels it too. She knows that her friends said that they support her and actively are making an effort to absolve him of their previous notions, but it doesn’t make her any more apprehensive. They exit the ramp promptly after she gives him a quick kiss on the lips and a squeeze of his hand in hers. The base is a lot emptier than it was when she came back from Exegol, assuming that the Resistance has mostly disbanded and is now on other worlds ensuring the peace of the New Republic. Rey is thankful that her closest friends are still on-world and willing to agree to this. 

Rose, Poe, Finn, Kaydel, Jannah, Chewie, Lando, BB-8 and Threepio all stand in a line to greet the Falcon, a palpable jittery energy swirling around them too. Ben and Rey descend the Falcon to immediately smile upon the group. Rey instantly goes to hug Rose, Poe and Finn quickly joining in a group hug; she makes her rounds to the rest of the group as Ben stays back, pensively assessing the situation with nervous eyes and a smile to match. Rey turns to look at him, giving him a look of reassurance to help settle his nerves.

“I’m so glad to see you all. I want to introduce you, or reintroduce in some cases, to Ben.” she smiles up at him, taking his hand to give him another comforting squeeze.




Rey bounces anxiously sitting outside the main conference room. It was Ben’s idea to talk to certain people in groups, wanting to give them time to talk to him and ask questions. She didn’t want to directly influence anyone’s perceptions or behaviors so she voluntarily agreed to not be part of these talks. He started off with Chewie, Lando and Threepio, all of whom knew him practically his entire life. They all had deep connections to his parents and his life as a child, so Rey knew that this would be quite a challenging conversation. Chewie had practically impaled him with a crossbow when he witnessed what happened with Han, so Rey feared that that grudge would continue to hold and worried for Ben’s safety. She was separately reassured by both Chewie and Ben that it would not get to that point but she couldn’t stop controlling her worry. When they all stepped out of the room about 2 hours later, she felt relieved to see them all conversing somewhat positively together, Lando regaling them with a story in signature Lando whimsicalness. Ben and Rey made eye contact from about 10 feet away, sharing a nod of understanding.

_ It will take some time, but I feel optimistic _ , Ben relays through their bond.

_ You have no idea how happy that makes me _ , Rey responds with a sigh of relief.

_ Chewie said he would try his best for you, which only further proves my theory that everyone in my family loves you more than me _ , Ben smirks. She shoots him another disapproving glare before softening, shaking her head with a laugh.

Kaydel and Jannah’s conversation with Ben was a lot more casual; because they didn’t have any direct conflict with him (Kaydel made it clear that because Leia cared for him and believed in him that she would) it became more of a friendly grilling to ensure that he would treat Rey with love and happiness. She laughed when they told her that he passed ‘the boyfriend test’  _ for now _ as they exited the room with him, Ben shaking his head with a laugh. 

Rey was quite possibly the most anxious for his last and final meeting with Poe, Finn and Rose. She could tell that Ben was equally as nervous for this conversation as well, as having defining points of contention from each of them. Poe’s clearly being the suffering he endured from his interrogation with him, as well as the general Resistance struggles he faced with him as Supreme Leader of the First Order. Finn’s were more personal, the battle between them on Starkiller Base that left him unconscious as well as his general feelings of protectiveness for Rey. Rose’s, although not directly caused by Ben, were more centered around the pain she felt losing her sister Paige against the First Order. She didn’t feel direct anger towards Ben, but just wanted her feelings to be known about the side he had chosen and how it had affected her life.

Ben had actually requested Rey’s presence about an hour into this meeting, communicating through their bond that she didn’t have to wait outside anymore and that her friends actually wanted her there. She pensively considered this for a moment before discreetly opening the door to the conference room to join them. She expected to see them all sitting at the large table across from each other but was surprised to see them all sitting cross-legged in a circle on the floor.

“Rey,” Ben states softly, pausing the conversation momentarily to reach his hand out and guide her to join him on the floor next to her. The expressions on her friends' faces were unreadable as she took her seat next to him, her hand staying interlocked with his. “We were just talking about you…” She quirks an eyebrow at this, wondering what they all had to say.

“We were all just saying how none of us would have ever known each other if it hadn’t been for you.” Rose smiles, patting her hand down on Rey’s knee. “You’re kinda the glue that keeps this place together.”

Poe interjects. “We know that none of this has been easy, and you’re probably battling yourself over a million things right now. But we just want to tell you--”

“That we love you.” Finn states. “We love you no matter what. And despite everything, we are all going to try to make this work for you.”

Rey can practically feel the tears swelling in her eyes. She went from being lonely and afraid in an unforgiving part of the galaxy to having a family, friends, people that love her. She fought with them and against them on sides of war that ended teaching her a lot more about herself than she ever thought possible. And now the pieces of the puzzle were finally coming together, and she felt complete for the first time in her life. It’s an overwhelming feeling in the best way possible. She can feel Ben’s hand wrap around her waist to pull her in closer to his side and her head instinctively nuzzles into his shoulder and the crook of his neck. 

“Thank you.” she whispers to all of them, her chosen family.

They spend an uncertain amount of time in friendly conversation, sharing jokes and laughs that make Rey’s heart feel full. She can slowly feel, not just Ben, but all her friends growing more comfortable with each other as the time goes on.

“We’re all leaving for Coruscant tomorrow.” Poe finally states once the topic of conversation has shifted slightly. And now the thoughts of the future begin to creep in, of where they will go and what they will do now that a new era has begun. “I wish you guys would join us but...with the official comms of you being gone--”

“Too visible. We run the risk of someone recognizing me.” Ben nods. He knows that the galaxy thinks Kylo Ren is dead, and in a metropolitan and political hub like Coruscant he knows that the risk of being recognized by the few who had ever seen him without his mask is too dangerous. 

“You need to go somewhere safe. Somewhere you guys can just lay low and live your own lives peacefully.” Rose pipes up, looking over to Rey. “We can always visit you of course, wherever you go.” 

Ben and Rey look to each other quizzically. They could never go back to Jakku, that much was clear. Ben’s home planet, Alderaan, was destroyed decades ago. Although they loved their time together on Ahch-To, it wasn’t a sustainable long term home. The group thought together in silence for a few moments before Rey’s eyes lit up, a soft gasp of realization escaping her lips. The group turn to look at her with quirked brows.

“I think I have the perfect place.” she breathes, looking up to Ben fondly with a nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OMG 
> 
> I just want to thank each and every person who has read this story, your love and positivity have made me so so so happy! also, i've finally learned how to add photos/moodboards to ao3 so you can go back to some of the more memorable chapters to see some of the visuals I created :)
> 
> the epilogue will come next week and I will do a proper sappy ending to this, but I hope you guys love this chapter. kudos, comments and tweets are my lifeline <3


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE EPILOGUE! I promise I'll get sappy at the end but for now please enjoy!
> 
> (also, I want to give credit to snowdrop.tumblr.com, who made the cute edit of Rey and Ben in each other's arms that I used in my moodboard)
> 
> CW: marriage and mentions of pregnancy

[ ](https://imgur.com/JIZHPFv)

**_Two Years Later_ **

“I swear if it were up to you we would never leave this bed.” Rey laughs softly, trying to wiggle herself out of Ben’s grip on her waist. He nuzzles further into the crook of her neck, laying soft kisses across her shoulders and back, tightening the arm he has slung across her body in an attempt to keep her. 

“That’s precisely the point, sweetheart.” His voice is deep and hoarse from sleep, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine. She can see the reflection of the lake outside their bedroom window glistening in the morning sun, a reminder of their now peaceful life. It’s a feeling that she’ll never grow tired of. 

It was inexplicably clear that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ben on Naboo, given the amazing time she had on her trip all those years ago. All it had taken was one audience with Queen Nirea to explain her situation, and she was instantly met with joyous approval. The queen knew that he was the grandson of one of the great queens of Naboo, Queen Padme Amidala, and by proxy had Nabian blood in his veins. For that reason (as well as her adoration for Rey) she accepted him within Naboo’s borders under certain stipulations. 

In exchange for Ben’s amnesty, Rey was appointed Her Majesty’s liaison and advisor to the New Republic. She essentially kept close contact with Poe, Finn and Rose on all happenings and updates in the New Republic and relayed them to the queen. It was a simple yet rewarding job that kept her mostly in Naboo, allowed her to speak with her friends on a regular basis and still keep a relatively private life with Ben. They took up a modest house in the Lake Country that was secluded enough for them to live a quiet life, but only a shuttle ride away to the palace for whenever she was needed. It was a comfortable existence filled with purpose, love and happiness.

“Well I for one, don’t want to keep a queen waiting. She was kind enough to invite us over for lunch today.” Rey quips softly, turning over in Ben’s grasp to face him. He had grown more beautiful than she thought possible, almost as if the loss of stress and darkness had begun to age him backwards. 

Very shortly after their arrival on Naboo, Rey had asked for the queen's blessing to marry Ben. It was a small ceremony in the palace courtyard; only Queen Nirea, Prince Auren (Rey was elated to hear that they had married only a month after her initial visit), and a few of their friends. Rose was thankfully able to attend in person due to her schedule, but Poe, Finn, Chewie, Kaydel, Jannah and Threepio all attended via holovid; she was also almost certain that a few familiar force ghosts were also in attendance. Rey graciously borrowed one of the queen’s modest white gowns and by sundown they were a happily married couple. It was her dream wedding only because it was Ben by her side, and that they could finally live in peace and happiness. 

“You’re right. I guess I owe her a lot…” he smiles, taking her hand to twirl the small gold band around her finger. 

“You’d be surprised…” she smirks, thinking back to those years ago during her initial visit and the gifts the queen had given her. Ben quirks his eyebrow, silently asking for clarification. “Well, you remember all those  _ garments _ I have...she’s the one who gave them to me. Said that they would impress my  _ gentleman caller _ …” she laughs as she watches his face light up in realization, his mouth curving into a small ‘oh’.

“Well then…” he whispers, turning himself over to cower above her. “I guess I’m truly indebted to Her Majesty…” he begins tracing her throat with wet kisses, earning breathy moans from Rey in return. “Although to be fair, I much prefer when you take them off…”

She gasps breathlessly as he nips at her jaw, her body arching up to meet his. This was definitely going to delay their plans for the day, but there’s no way in hell she’s going to stop him any time soon.




**_6 Months Later_ **

She taps her foot nervously on her shuttle ride back from the palace. It had been a busy day of meetings and appointments, but she couldn’t get  _ it _ out of her head. She’s practically buzzing to see Ben after such a long day, instantly wrapping her arms around her neck as he greets her in the front garden. She places a sweet kiss on his lips as he spins her around slowly, her legs dangling off the floor. Rey can’t help but continue her kisses down the column of his throat, eliciting a shudder from her husband.

“Sweetheart, you’ve only been gone a day and you’re acting like you’ve been gone a year.” he chuckles breathlessly, craning his neck up as she focuses on a spot under his jawline. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“I just...missed you.” she mutters against his skin. He carries her inside and sits her on the couch, placing a quick kiss to her forehead before heading over to the kitchen to continue preparing their dinner. She chews on her bottom lip anxiously, trying to formulate the words in her head. How would he react? Joy? Sadness? Frustration? As open as their bond is with each other, she can’t foresee what his emotions will be towards this news. She lays her hand flat across her belly, recalling her earlier appointment with the palace doctor. She has barely any time to process it herself, and now she would have to tell him. 

“Ben--” she calls out softly to him, standing up from the couch and making her way over to the kitchen. He’s standing over the stove, mixing ingredients into a steaming pot with a tense concentration only he could apply to something as mundane as cooking. She's about to say something to him when he whips his head in her direction to speak.

“Have you noticed something... _ different _ in the force? I’m getting these new odd feelings and emotions that I can’t seem to put my finger on.” Ben states absentmindedly, continuing to stir the pot. She hums nervously in agreement, unable to formulate the words. 

She had felt that same divergence a few days ago, she had been worried that it was some kind of mysterious force trying to call to her, showing her a future that she had been dreaming of that she thought impossible. It soon accompanied itself with more material characteristics in the form of morning sickness and headaches. The queen almost instantly sensed it when Rey stepped into her morning meeting with her today and insisted that she visit the palace medical staff.

He turns to look at her and notices her uneasiness, instantly furrowing his brow in concern. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” All nerves wash out of her system as she looks up at the man she loves. 

“Nothing’s wrong. If anything…” she pauses for a moment to take a step closer to him, taking his hand and pressing it against her belly “...everything feels right.” She looks up at him with a shaky smile. His eyes immediately light up, his jaw slack as he scans her face rapidly.

“You...we...are you...?” he blubbers, unable to forge a complete thought as his slack jaw turns into a relieved and surprised smile. She nods, holding back a choked sob of joy. Ben instantly picks her up by her waist and spins her around the room, the both of them laughing with pure unadulterated joy. “I love you, Rey. You’ve already made me the happiest man in the galaxy, and this...I just--” he pauses, too overwhelmed to finish his sentence. 

She tilts her head up to kiss him, pouring every ounce of love she has to show him that he’s made her equally happy. They will conquer this new phase of life together, and despite their experiences they will be the best parents they can be. 

Words will never be able to describe their love, how a connection of two souls on opposite sides of a war could be forged by destiny. How a promise of balance not only healed the galaxy, but healed two broken souls who found their way to each other. They would never have to know the suffering and loneliness of their past lives again, for as long they have each other they are on the right path. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THAT'S A WRAP! I seriously can't believe I finished this story! I had this idea almost 4 months ago for a more exciting and joyous end to Rey and Ben's story after the events of TRoS and I'm so pleased with how it turned out. It's been so fun getting to dive into the minds of these characters (even create some new ones!) and have them deal not just with the hurt of their past but the promise of a better future. After not doing any creative writing for years it felt amazing to be able to feel that passion again and I can't thank you all enough for reading, commenting and giving me kudos! 
> 
> If you'd like to follow me on twitter you can @blessedreylo! Here are some of my other works if you'd like to check them out :)
> 
> delicate composition: 10 Things I Hate About You AU, social curmudgeon Rey meets aloof bad boy Ben
> 
> when I look to you: cute friends-to-lovers Reylo/Harry Potter AU 
> 
> within these walls: historical royalty oneshot, princess Rey and seamstress' son-turned knight Ben


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